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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 24, 2019 11:22 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Aaron D. Kaufer |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Absentee Ballot Deadline Extension |
| It is critical that all qualified, eligible voters in the Commonwealth are able to participate in elections and have their votes counted. Under Pennsylvania’s Election Code, the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. on the Tuesday the week before a primary or general election. Election officials receiving a proper request then mail the ballot to the absentee voter. The voter must then fill out and return the ballot before 5 p.m. on the Friday immediately before a primary or general election in order for the vote to be counted. As this process involves the ballot traveling through the mail twice, this timeline is unrealistic and may leave voters who properly request an absentee ballot without the opportunity to have their votes counted. My legislation addresses this problem by amending the Election Code to declare that a ballot postmarked by Monday, the day before an election will be counted if it is received by the county board of elections before 5 p.m. on Tuesday, the week after election day. Please join me in cosponsoring this important legislation to ensure that absentee voters who follow the law have the opportunity to have their voices heard and participate in the electoral process. |
Introduced as HB667