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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 26, 2022 03:55 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Ryan E. Mackenzie and Rep. Jared G. Solomon |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Reforming Order of Candidates on Ballot |
| In the near future I plan to introduce legislation to improve the fairness of our election administration be increasing the randomization of candidate ballot order. Currently, for General Elections, candidates are listed on every ballot, in every race, in the order in which that party’s candidates for Governor performed during the most recent gubernatorial election. Additionally, candidates in a primary draw lots, providing a potential for statewide advantage or disadvantage to individual candidates based solely on luck. Statistical analysis of elections across the country have demonstrated that the order in which candidates are listed on a ballot can have substantial impact on the outcome of a race- and that this is particularly true for down-ballot races. In light of this, a number of states have recently considered reforms to eliminate any unfairness created by ballot order. Pennsylvania should join these states. The legislation proposed would ensure that, for candidates running in more than one county, lots would be drawn to determine ballot position in each county separately, and in both the Primary and General Elections. For candidates running in only one county, lots would now be drawn to determine ballot order in the General Election, as in the primary. The bill would also require a study to determine the feasibility of further reforms rotating the ballot order of candidates in each precinct, to more fully reduce unfair advantage or disadvantage to any candidate. Please join me in cosponsoring this important reform. |
Introduced as HB2335