Bill Text: PA HB27 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Further providing for voting by absentee electors.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-10-06 - Referred to STATE GOVERNMENT [HB27 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HB27-Introduced.html

  

 

    

PRINTER'S NO.  2522

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

27

Session of

2011

  

  

INTRODUCED BY GIBBONS, CALTAGIRONE, DALEY, DONATUCCI, FREEMAN, GOODMAN, JOSEPHS, KAVULICH, KULA, PAYTON AND THOMAS, OCTOBER 6, 2011

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, OCTOBER 6, 2011  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled

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"An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,

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special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates,

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primary and election expenses and election contests; creating

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and defining membership of county boards of elections;

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imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth,

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courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners;

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imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying,

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revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and

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repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to

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elections," further providing for voting by absentee

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electors.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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Section 1.  Section 1306(a) of the act of June 3, 1937

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(P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code,

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amended November 9, 2006 (P.L.1330, No.137), is amended to read:

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Section 1306.  Voting by Absentee Electors.--(a)  Except as

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provided in paragraphs (1), (2) and (3), at any time after

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receiving an official absentee ballot, but on or before [five

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o'clock P.M.] the close of business on the [Friday] Monday prior

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to the primary or election, the elector shall, in secret,

 


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proceed to mark the ballot only in black lead pencil, indelible

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pencil or blue, black or blue-black ink, in fountain pen or ball

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point pen, and then fold the ballot, enclose and securely seal

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the same in the envelope on which is printed, stamped or

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endorsed "Official Absentee [Ballot."] Ballot": Provided,

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however, That any elector who submits an emergency application

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and receives an absentee ballot in accordance with section

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1302.1 shall mark the ballot on or before the close of business

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on the day of the primary or election.

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(1)  Any elector who submits an Emergency Application and

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receives an absentee ballot in accordance with section

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1302.1(a.2) or (c) shall mark the ballot on or before eight

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o'clock P.M. on the day of the primary or election. This

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envelope shall then be placed in the second one, on which is

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printed the form of declaration of the elector, and the address

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of the elector's county board of election and the local election

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district of the elector. The elector shall then fill out, date

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and sign the declaration printed on such envelope. Such envelope

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shall then be securely sealed and the elector shall send same by

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mail, postage prepaid, except where franked, or deliver it in

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person to said county board of election.

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(2)  Any elector, spouse of the elector or dependent of the

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elector, qualified in accordance with the provisions of section

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1301, subsections (e), (f), (g) and (h) to vote by absentee

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ballot as herein provided, shall be required to include on the

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form of declaration a supporting declaration in form prescribed

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by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, to be signed by the head

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of the department or chief of division or bureau in which the

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elector is employed, setting forth the identity of the elector,

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spouse of the elector or dependent of the elector.

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(3)  Any elector who has filed his application in accordance

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with section 1302 subsection (e)(2), and is unable to sign his

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declaration because of illness or physical disability, shall be

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excused from signing upon making a declaration which shall be

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witnessed by one adult person in substantially the following

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form: I hereby declare that I am unable to sign my declaration

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for voting my absentee ballot without assistance because I am

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unable to write by reason of my illness or physical disability.

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I have made or received assistance in making my mark in lieu of

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my signature.

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                                   .....................(Mark)

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...................................

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             (Date)

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                               ...............................

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                                    (Signature of Witness)

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...................................

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   (Complete Address of Witness)

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* * *

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Section 2.  This act shall apply to all elections conducted

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after December 31, 2009, or the effective date of this act,

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whichever is later.

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Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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