PRINTER'S NO. 156
No. 8 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY MOWERY, KUKOVICH, BOSCOLA, HART, COSTA, SLOCUM AND EARLL, JANUARY 13, 1999
REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 13, 1999
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to create a 2 bipartisan task force to study the feasibility of changing 3 the date of general primary elections in nonpresidential 4 nomination years and municipal primary elections from the 5 third Tuesday in May to the third Tuesday in September. 6 WHEREAS, The number of registered voters in this Commonwealth 7 has increased while the number of people voting in elections 8 continues to decrease; and 9 WHEREAS, This decrease may be due to, among other things, 10 negative attitudes resulting from longer campaign seasons and 11 negative campaigning; and 12 WHEREAS, The six-month period between the primary in the 13 spring and the general election in November necessitates the 14 raising of more money for campaigning than would a two-month 15 period and thus increases the influence of money on the 16 political process; therefore be it 17 RESOLVED (the House of Representatives concurring), That the 18 General Assembly direct the Joint State Government Commission to 19 create a bipartisan task force consisting of one member
1 appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, one member 2 appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one member 3 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one 4 member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of 5 Representatives, one member appointed jointly by the President 6 pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 7 Representatives, and one representative from, and designated by, 8 each of the following: the Bureau of Election of the Department 9 of State, the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, 10 the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, the Pennsylvania 11 State Association of Township Commissioners, the Pennsylvania 12 State Association of Township Supervisors and the Pennsylvania 13 League of Cities and Municipalities; and be it further 14 RESOLVED, That the task force shall study the feasibility of 15 changing general primary elections held during nonpresidential 16 election years and municipal primary elections from May to 17 September, including the costs to the State, local, county and 18 municipal governments to make the change, as well as the impact 19 such a change could have on reducing election campaigning; and 20 be it further 21 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission report 22 its findings, recommendations and proposed legislation to the 23 General Assembly no later than December 1, 1999. L11L82DMS/19990S0008R0156 - 2 -