Posted: | January 8, 2015 11:58 AM |
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From: | Representative Mark B. Cohen |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Absentee Voting for Senior Citizens |
In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that would amend Article VII (Elections) of the Pennsylvania Constitution to provide for absentee voting for senior citizens, individuals age 60 or older, without excuse. Senior citizens deserve to have the flexibility in choosing how to vote. Several states, including Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, allow seniors to apply for an absentee ballot without the necessity of providing an excuse. Expanding voting options for senior citizens should lead to greater voter participation. Michigan, whose election laws allow seniors age 60 and above to apply for an absentee ballot without excuse, have a voting participation rate by absentee ballot of 15.4% versus Pennsylvania at 3.1%. The Patriot-News published an editorial on Sunday, January 4, 2015, calling on Pennsylvania to change its antiquated voting system, including expanding options for absentee voting, which I have attached for your review. If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Seidl of my office at kseidl@pahouse.net or 787-4117. Thank you. Previous co-sponsors of HB 783: COHEN, BIZZARRO, V. BROWN, BROWNLEE, D. COSTA, P. DALEY, FABRIZIO, FREEMAN, KINSEY, KORTZ, MATZIE, McGEEHAN, MUNDY, O'BRIEN, PASHINSKI, ROEBUCK, ROZZI, SCHLOSSBERG, SNYDER, YOUNGBLOOD, BISHOP AND GIBBONS. |
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View Attachment |
Introduced as HB302