Vetoed by Governor Tom Wolf

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that amends state election laws regarding straight-party voting.

Highlights:

• Repeals the option of straight political party voting on official ballots for general, municipal and special elections (Sec. 1).

• Defines “straight political party voting” as automatically voting for all candidates belonging to one political party (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that bonds issued for replacement voting apparatuses cannot exceed $90 million, and the term of these bonds cannot exceed ten years (Sec. 2).

• Defines “bond” as any type of revenue obligation, including a bond or series of bonds, note, certificate or other instrument, issued by the authority for the benefit of the Department of State of the Commonwealth, under this act (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes counties to apply to the Department of State of the Commonwealth for the funding or reimbursement of replacement voting apparatuses no later than December 31, 2019 (Sec. 2). 

• Defines “voting apparatus” as a kind or type of electronic voting system approved by the Secretary of the Commonwealth (Sec. 2).

• Requires the establishment of a Voting System Decertification Commission (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the processing of absentee ballots before the fifty-day period preceding the primary or general election (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes individuals to submit an application for an absentee ballot at any time before the closing of the polls on the day of the primary or election if the individual (Sec. 3):

• Has a physical disability or illness that prevents them from applying for an absentee ballot at the specified deadline or appearing at the polling place on the day of the primary or election; or

• Has business, duties, or an occupation that prevents them from applying for an absentee ballot at the specified deadline or appearing at the polling place on the day of the primary or election.

• Requires absentee ballots delivered by authorized representatives of the voting individual to be submitted no later than eight o’clock P.M. on the day of the primary or election (Sec. 4).

• Requires absentee ballots delivered in person to be submitted no later than five o’clock P.M. on the day before the primary or election (Sec. 4).

• Requires absentee ballots sent by mail to be submitted no later than the Friday before the primary or election (Sec. 4).

• Requires the County Board to have a record of every voting individual’s relevant information and to make the records publicly available within forty-eight hours upon request (Section 5).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends state election laws regarding strait-party voting.

Highlights:

• Repeals the option of straight political party voting on official ballots for general, municipal and special elections (Sec. 1).

• Defines “straight political party voting” as automatically voting for all candidates belonging to one political party (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that bonds issued for replacement voting apparatuses cannot exceed $90 million, and the term of these bonds cannot exceed ten years (Sec. 2).

• Defines “bond” as any type of revenue obligation, including a bond or series of bonds, note, certificate or other instrument, issued by the authority for the benefit of the Department of State of the Commonwealth, under this act (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes counties to apply to the Department of State of the Commonwealth for the funding or reimbursement of replacement voting apparatuses no later than December 31, 2019 (Sec. 2). 

• Defines “voting apparatus” as a kind or type of electronic voting system approved by the Secretary of the Commonwealth (Sec. 2).

• Requires the establishment of a Voting System Decertification Commission (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the processing of absentee ballots before the fifty-day period preceding the primary or general election (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes individuals to submit an application for an absentee ballot at any time before the closing of the polls on the day of the primary or election if the individual (Sec. 3):

• Has a physical disability or illness that prevents them from applying for an absentee ballot at the specified deadline or appearing at the polling place on the day of the primary or election; or

• Has business, duties, or an occupation that prevents them from applying for an absentee ballot at the specified deadline or appearing at the polling place on the day of the primary or election.

• Requires absentee ballots delivered by authorized representatives of the voting individual to be submitted no later than eight o’clock P.M. on the day of the primary or election (Sec. 4).

• Requires absentee ballots delivered in person to be submitted no later than five o’clock P.M. on the day before the primary or election (Sec. 4).

• Requires absentee ballots sent by mail to be submitted no later than the Friday before the primary or election (Sec. 4).

• Requires the County Board to have a record of every voting individual’s relevant information and to make the records publicly available within forty-eight hours upon request (Section 5).

Full Bill Text