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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | October 26, 2015 08:29 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Patrick J. Stefano |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Electronic Absentee Ballot Return for Military and Overseas Voters |
In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation requiring the Pennsylvania Department of State to develop a secure online system for military and overseas voters to return their absentee ballot electronically. The federal Military and Overseas Voters Empowerment Act (MOVE), passed in 2009, requires states to provide blank absentee ballots to military and overseas voters in at least one electronic format. Unfortunately, these voters in Pennsylvania are still required to print out their ballot; fill it out by hand; and return it by mail. My proposed legislation will give them the option of returning their ballots by secure electronic means. This legislation will be similar to Senate Bill 976 of the 2013-2014 Legislative Session, which was introduced by Senator Smith. Previous co-sponsors of the bill include Teplitz, Stack, Washington, Fontana, Smucker, Rafferty, Yudichak, Greenleaf, Vulakovich, Waugh, Costa, Hutchinson, Brewster, Hughes, Vance, Schwank, Kasunic, Wozniak, Solobay, Tartaglione, Baker, Browne, Farnese, Williams and Blake. Currently, 31 states and the District of Columbia offer electronic ballot return for military and overseas voters. I ask you to please join me in offering this group of voters the ease and accessibility of electronic ballot return by cosponsoring this important piece of legislation. If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact Mark Fetzko of my office. |
Introduced as SB1052