THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY FRANKEL, DERMODY, HANNA, BRENNAN, BRIGGS, BROWNLEE, CALTAGIRONE, DAVIDSON, DeLUCA, BARBIN, DONATUCCI, FABRIZIO, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GERBER, GOODMAN, BISHOP, HARKINS, JAMES, JOSEPHS, KORTZ, MANN, MUNDY, MURT, MYERS, NEILSON, PARKER, PASHINSKI, PAYTON, PRESTON, READSHAW, ROEBUCK, SANTONI, DEAN, STURLA, THOMAS, SCHMOTZER, WATERS, WHEATLEY, WILLIAMS AND YOUNGBLOOD, MAY 31, 2012

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MAY 31, 2012  

AN ACT

Amending Title 25 (Elections) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

Statutes, further providing for methods of voter

registration; providing for electronic voter registration

application; and further providing for preparation and

distribution of applications.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 1321 of Title 25 of the Pennsylvania

Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a paragraph to read:

§ 1321.  Methods of voter registration.

An individual qualified to register to vote under section

1301(a) (relating to qualifications to register) may apply to

register as follows:

* * *

(5)  Under section 1325.1 (relating to electronic voter

registration application).

Section 2.  Title 25 is amended by adding a section to read:

§ 1325.1.  Electronic voter registration application.

An electronic voter registration application shall be

established and implemented by the department within 90 days of

the effective date of this section. The secretary shall

promulgate regulations necessary to establish, implement and

administer the electronic voter registration application.

Section 3.  Section 1327(a)(4) of Title 25 is amended to

read:

§ 1327.  Preparation and distribution of applications.

(a)  Form.--

* * *

(4)  A voter registration application, except a

registration application under section 1325.1 (relating to

electronic voter registration application), shall be printed

on stock of good quality and shall be of suitable uniform

size. [Nothing in this part shall prohibit the design and use

of an electronic voter registration application which

includes the applicant's digitized or electronic signature.]

The registration application shall contain the following

information; however, the information may be provided on a

separate form for voter registration made under section 1323

or 1325:

(i)  Notice that a registered elector does not need

to reregister unless the registered elector has moved.

(ii)  Instructions on how to fill out and submit the

application and notification of when the application must

be submitted to a voter registration office in order to

be registered for the ensuing election.

(iii)  Notice that the applicant must be a citizen of

the United States for at least one month prior to the

next election and a resident of this Commonwealth and the

election district for at least 30 days and must be at

least 18 years of age by the day of the next ensuing

election and has not been confined in a penal institution

for a conviction of a felony within the last five years.

The notice required in this subparagraph shall be in

print identical to the declaration under subsection (b).

(iv)  Notice that political party enrollment is

mandatory to vote in a primary election of a political

party.

(v)  Notice that the commission will mail by

nonforwardable mail to the applicant a voter's

identification card upon acceptance of the application

and that the applicant should contact the commission if

the identification card is not received within 14 days

from the date the application is sent to the registration

office.

(vi)  Notice that registration is not complete until

the application is processed and accepted by the

commission.

(vii)  A warning to the applicant that making a false

registration or furnishing false information is perjury.

The notice required in this subparagraph shall be in

print identical to the declaration under subsection (b).

(viii)  Instructions to Federal or State employees

who wish to retain voting residence in county of last

residence to so indicate on the application.

(ix)  Notice that, if an individual declines to

register to vote, the fact that the individual has

declined to register will remain confidential and will be

used only for voter registration purposes. The notice

required in this subparagraph shall be in print identical

to the declaration under subsection (b).

(x)  Notice that, if an individual does register to

vote, the office at which the individual submits a voter

registration application will remain confidential and

will be used for voter registration purposes only. The

notices required in this subparagraph shall be in print

identical to the declaration in subsection (b).

* * *

Section 4.  This act shall take effect immediately.