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PA HB280
Bill
Status
1/22/2025
Primary Sponsor
Jared Solomon
Click for details
AI Summary
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Allows unaffiliated or independent registered voters ("unenrolled electors") to vote in primary elections for candidates for public office by choosing which political party's ballot to receive at the time of voting.
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Unenrolled electors may select a different party's ballot in each subsequent primary election without changing their registration status.
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Restricts unenrolled electors from voting for party officers, committee members, or delegates—only enrolled party members may participate in internal party elections.
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Requires election officers to record the unenrolled elector's party choice on a certificate prescribed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth before issuing a ballot.
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Repeals the criminal penalty (previously up to $5,000 fine and 2 years imprisonment) for voting the "wrong party" ballot at a primary, reflecting the new semi-open primary system.
Legislative Description
In preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; in qualifications of electors, furth er providing for qualifications of electors at primaries; in party organization, further providing for only enrolled electors to vote at primaries or hold party offices; in nomination of candidates, further providing for candidates to be nominated and party officers to be elected at primaries and providing for procedure for unenrolled electors to cast primary ballots; 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; in voting by qualified absentee electors, further providing for applications for official absentee ballots; in voting by qualified mail-in electors, further providing for applications for official mail-in ballots; in returns of primaries and elections, further providing for computation of returns by county board, certification and issuance of certificates of election; and, in penalties, further providing for election officers refusing to permit elector to vote in proper party at primaries and repealing provisions relating to elector voting ballot of wrong party at primary.
Last Action
Laid on the table
5/13/2025