The changes would be the first since 2019.
In late 2019, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed Act 77, which allowed no-excuse mail voting in the Commonwealth. Republicans and Democrats have been locked in a stalemate over the consequences of the law.
This week, the House State Government Committee considered two bills that could influence the future of state elections. The committee is chaired by Representative Carol Evans-Hill, a Democrat of York County.
The first piece of legislation considered by the committee was House Bill 771, sponsored by Representative Thomas Mehaffie, a Republican of Dauphin County. The bill “would require all voters arriving at their election precincts to show identification or attest under penalty of law that they are legally able to vote in Pennsylvania.”
The bill garnered bipartisan support and was circulated by Representative Kathleen Tomlinson, a Republican of Bucks County, and Representative Frank Burns, a Democrat of Cambria County.
House Bill 771 passed out of committee with a vote of 14 to 12.
The second piece of legislation considered by the committee was House Bill 1396. The bill is sponsored by Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, a Democrat of Delaware and Philadelphia Counties. The bill is her 98-page legislative proposal that provides for definitions in the Elections Code.
House Bill 1396 calls for at least two ballot drop boxes to be made available by each county board of elections at least 65 days prior to an election. Drop boxes would be under video surveillance and must be made available for use by voters at least 30 days prior to the next elections.
The bill also calls for a $2 million appropriation from the General Fund to the Department of State for the examination and approval of e-poll books to be used by all counties “in the best interest of the Commonwealth.”
Also included in the legislation is a definition of early voting. Under the bill, a county board of elections “shall establish at least one early voting location for in-person early voting in the county, which may be located at an office of the county board.”
The bill also calls for additional locations based on county size with a minimum of one location being in the same municipality as the county seat.
The early voting period would “begin on the 11th day preceding the date of an election and extend through the Sunday before election day.” For a Tuesday election, early voting would begin two Fridays prior and continue through the Sunday prior to the election.
The early voting locations would be open for a minimum of eight hours, and no more than 12 hours a day between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.
The bill calls for the outer mail ballot return envelope to be printed, “stamped or endorsed to conform with election mail design requirements from the USPS” and also include a prepaid reply mail option.
The legislation permits “curing” of inaccurately submitted mail ballots. Within 24 hours of finding a “correctable” error, the county board of elections would notify the voter by electronic or telephonic means of the error and notify all by letter. If the voter completes the “Absentee Ballot and Mail-In Ballot Cure Form” before noon on the sixth day after the election, the ballot would be counted.
Under the bill, the processing of mail ballot requests if received 14 days prior to the election would be permitted.
Presently, legislation does not permit the opening of mail ballots prior to 7 a.m. on Election Day. This bill includes a clause that requires counties to “begin pre-canvassing no later than 7 a.m. on Election Day.”
The bill passed out of committee with a vote of 14 to 12.
