PRINTER'S NO. 633
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
282
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY BOSCOLA, COSTA, HUGHES, FONTANA, FARNESE, SCHWANK,
BREWSTER, DINNIMAN AND LEACH, APRIL 5, 2017
REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 5, 2017
AN ACT
Providing for election day registration; and prescribing
penalties.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions
Section 101. Short title.
Section 102. Definitions.
Chapter 3. Election Day Registration
Section 301. Election day registration.
Section 302. Procedure.
Section 303. Maps.
Section 304. Record of attempted registrations.
Section 305. Verification by mail.
Chapter 5. Enforcement and Penalties
Section 501. Prohibited acts.
Section 502. Enforcement.
Chapter 11. Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 1101. Construction of act.
Section 1102. Rules and regulations.
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Section 1103. Repeals.
Section 1104. Applicability.
Section 1105. Effective date.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
CHAPTER 1
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
Section 101. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Election Day
Registration Act.
Section 102. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Board" or "county board." The county board of elections.
"Department." The Department of State of the Commonwealth.
CHAPTER 3
ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION
Section 301. Election day registration.
(a) General rule.--A person otherwise eligible to vote may
register to vote on the day of any primary, municipal or general
election by appearing in person at the polling place for the
election district in which the individual maintains residence,
completing a registration card, making an oath in the form
prescribed by the department and providing proof of residence.
(b) Proof of residence.--An individual may prove residence
by any of the following methods:
(1) By displaying a valid driver's license.
(2) By showing any document approved by the department.
(3) By the written statement of an elector registered to
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vote in that election district, sworn to in the presence of a
judge of elections, stating to the effect that the elector
personally knows that the individual is a resident of the
election district. An individual whose residence has been
sworn to under this paragraph on election day may not sign a
proof of residence oath for any other individual on that
election day.
Section 302. Procedure.
(a) Judges of elections.--Voter registration under this act
shall be conducted by judges of elections. A judge who registers
an individual voter shall not process that voter's ballot at any
time prior to opening of the ballot box after the voting ends.
(b) Registration cards.--Registration cards and forms for
oaths shall be available at each polling place. If an individual
who registers on election day proves residence under section
301(b)(3), the form containing that statement shall be attached
to the individual's registration card. Registration cards
completed on election day shall be forwarded to the appropriate
county board, which shall add the name of each voter to the
registration rolls unless the information forwarded is
substantially deficient. Each judge of elections registering a
person on election day shall initial the voter registration card
of that person.
(c) Deficient registration.--A county board that finds an
election day registration substantially deficient shall mail
written notice of same to the individual. An election day
registration shall not be found deficient solely because the
individual who provided proof of residence was ineligible to do
so.
Section 303. Maps.
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The county board shall provide each polling place with a
detailed map showing election districts in order to assist
judges of elections in determining whether an address is located
in that district.
Section 304. Record of attempted registrations.
The judge of elections responsible for election day
registration at each polling place shall keep a record of the
number of individuals who attempt to register on election day
but who cannot provide proof of residence as required by this
act. This record shall be forwarded to the county board with the
election returns for that election district.
Section 305. Verification by mail.
Within 10 days of an election, each county board shall send a
notice to a random sampling of no less than 25% of individuals
registered on election day. The random sampling shall be
determined in accordance with the rules of the department. As
soon as practicable after the election, the board shall mail
registration verification notices to all individuals registered
on election day. If a notice is returned as not deliverable, the
board shall attempt to determine the reason for the return. A
county board which does not receive or obtain satisfactory proof
of an individual's eligibility to vote shall immediately notify
the district attorney and the department.
CHAPTER 5
ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES
Section 501. Prohibited acts.
(a) Offenses enumerated.--It shall be unlawful:
(1) To cause an individual's name to be registered in
any election district if that individual is not eligible to
vote.
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(2) To cause an individual's name to be registered for
the purpose of voting in more than one election district or
in any election district in which the individual does not
maintain residence.
(3) To misrepresent an individual's identity when
attempting to register to vote.
(4) To aid, abet, counsel or procure any other
individual to violate this act.
(5) For a judge of elections to allow an unregistered
voter to vote in any election.
(b) Grading.--A violation of this section constitutes a
misdemeanor of the second degree.
Section 502. Enforcement.
Prosecution for violations of this act shall be brought by
the district attorney, upon information supplied by the
department, a county election officer or any person.
CHAPTER 11
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section 1101. Construction of act.
This act shall be construed as providing a procedure for
registration in addition to those methods as are provided by
law.
Section 1102. Rules and regulations.
The department shall, in the manner provided by law,
promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to carry out this
act.
Section 1103. Repeals.
All acts and parts of acts are repealed insofar as they are
inconsistent with this act.
Section 1104. Applicability.
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This act shall apply to the municipal or general election
occurring in the year next following the year of final enactment
of this act, and to each primary, municipal and general election
thereafter.
Section 1105. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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