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PA HB1396
Bill
Status
5/13/2025
Primary Sponsor
Joanna McClinton
Click for details
AI Summary
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Establishes mandatory in-person early voting from 11 days before election day through the Sunday before, requiring counties to provide at least one early voting location per 100,000 registered voters, open 8-12 hours daily
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Authorizes secure ballot drop boxes with minimum requirements of 2 per county plus 1 additional box per 50,000 voters in counties over 100,000 population, requiring video surveillance, tamper-evident seals, and daily ballot collection by two officials
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Requires all counties to implement electronic poll books by December 31, 2026, with $2 million appropriated for development and up to $60 million in bonds authorized for county equipment purchases and reimbursements
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Allows pre-canvassing of mail-in and absentee ballots starting 7 days before election day at 9 a.m., creates a ballot cure process allowing voters to fix unsigned declarations until noon on the sixth day after election, and requires prepaid postage on return envelopes
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Mandates post-election ballot audits after each primary and November election using statistical sampling methods to verify election outcomes, with results published on the Department of State website
Legislative Description
In preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; in district election officers, further providing for compensation of district election officers; in election districts and polling places, providing for ballot drop boxes; in electronic voting systems, further providing for definitions and for supplies, preparation of the voting system and of polling places, providing for pre-election logic and accuracy testing, repealing provisions relating to statistical sample and providing for post-election ballot audit; providing for electronic poll books and for electronic poll books and election infrastructure equipment bonds; in preparation for and conduct of primaries and elections, further providing for manner of applying to vote, persons entitled to vote, voter's certificates, entries to be made in district register, numbered lists of voters and challenges and for deadline for receipt of valid voter registration application; providing for in-person early voting; in voting by qualified absentee electors, further providing for date of application for absentee ballot, for approval of application for absentee ballot, for envelopes for official absentee ballots and for voting by absentee electors; in voting by qualified mail-in electors, further providing for applications for official mail-in ballots, for date of application for mail-in ballot, for approval of application for mail-in ballot, for envelopes for official mail-in ballots and for voting by mail-in electors; in returns of primaries and elections, further providing for computation of returns by county board, certification and issuance of certificates of election; in Election Integrity Grant Program, further providing for funding for elections; in recounts and contests, further providing for opening ballot boxes upon petition of electors alleging fraud or error and deposit or bond, for recanvassing voting machines upon petition of electors alleging fraud or error and for correction of returns, decision not to be final and evidence for prosecution; in penalties, further providing for interference with primaries and elections, frauds and conspiracy; making an appropriation; and making an editorial change. Amending Title 25 (Elections) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in registration system, further providing for SURE system; in voter registration, further providing for methods of voter registration, for application with driver's license application and for government agencies and for approval of registration applications; and, in changes in records, repealing provisions relating to removal notices, to transfer of registration and to change of enrollment of political party and further providing for death of registrant.
Last Action
Referred to State Government
5/22/2025