PRINTER'S NO. 478
No. 419 Session of 1991
INTRODUCED BY VROON, BUNT, TIGUE, FAJT, SCHULER, PERZEL,
E. Z. TAYLOR, TRELLO, BELARDI, BILLOW, THOMAS, SERAFINI,
OLASZ AND SEMMEL, MARCH 11, 1991
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 11, 1991
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled
2 "An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,
3 special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates,
4 primary and election expenses and election contests; creating
5 and defining membership of county boards of elections;
6 imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
7 courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners;
8 imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying,
9 revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and
10 repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to
11 elections," providing for the modernization of election
12 equipment upon the approval of the electors of counties; and
13 providing for grants to counties for a portion of the cost.
14 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15 hereby enacts as follows:
16 Section 1. The act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known
17 as the Pennsylvania Election Code, is amended by adding an
18 article to read:
19 ARTICLE XVII-A
20 Modernization of Election Equipment
21 Section 1701-A. Authorization of Modernizing Election
22 Equipment.--In each county where a majority vote in favor of the
23 question of modernizing the county's election equipment, the
1 county board of elections shall modernize the election equipment
2 of the county.
3 Section 1702-A. Placing Modernization Question on Ballot.--
4 (a) The county election board may, upon their own motion, or
5 shall, upon the filing of a petition with them signed by
6 qualified electors of the county equal in number to at least
7 fifteen (15) per centum of the total number of electors who
8 voted in the county at the preceding general or municipal
9 election, submit to the qualified registered electors of the
10 county, at the next primary or election, the question "Shall the
11 election equipment of the county of be modernized?"
12 (b) The county board shall cause the said question to be
13 submitted at the primary or election, in accordance with the
14 provisions of this act relating to elections.
15 (c) The election on said question shall be held at the
16 places, during the hours, and under the regulations, provided by
17 law for holding primaries and elections, and shall be conducted
18 by the election officers provided by law to conduct such
19 elections. The election officers shall count the votes cast at
20 the elections on said question, and shall make return thereof to
21 the county election board of the county, as required by law. The
22 returns shall be computed by the county election board, or other
23 return board, and, when so computed, a certificate of the total
24 number of electors voting "Yes" and of the total number of
25 electors voting "No" on such question shall be filed in the
26 office of the county election board. Copies of the return so
27 filed shall be certified by the county election board and shall
28 forthwith be furnished to the Secretary of the Commonwealth and
29 to the county commissioners or other appropriate authority of
30 the county.
19910H0419B0478 - 2 -
1 (d) If a majority of the electors of any county voting on
2 such question shall vote against the modernization of election
3 equipment, the question shall not again be submitted to the
4 voters of that county for a period of three (3) years.
5 (e) Whenever, under the provisions of this act, the question
6 of the modernization of election equipment is to be submitted to
7 the electors of any county, the county board of elections shall
8 publicize and inform the electors of the county of the need for
9 and nature of the proposed modernization. The county board of
10 elections shall further inform the electors that fifty (50) per
11 centum of the approved cost of the election equipment
12 modernization will be paid to the county by a grant from the
13 Commonwealth.
14 Section 1703-A. Action on Approval by Electors.--If a
15 majority voting on the question in any county vote in favor of
16 the modernization of election equipment, the county board of
17 elections of that county shall prepare a plan describing the
18 modernization of election equipment it proposes to undertake.
19 The modernization plan shall be in the form and with the
20 explanation as may be required by the Secretary of the
21 Commonwealth. The plan together with an application for a grant
22 for payment of a portion of the cost thereof shall be submitted
23 to the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The application shall be
24 made on a form prepared and furnished by the Secretary of the
25 Commonwealth.
26 Section 1704-A. Grants.--Upon application from a county, the
27 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall award to the county a grant
28 in the amount of fifty (50) per centum of the cost of projects
29 for modernization of election equipment set forth in the plan
30 which is approved by the secretary.
19910H0419B0478 - 3 -
1 Section 1705-A. Modernization.--Upon receipt of a grant as
2 provided for in section 1704-A, the county board of elections
3 shall promptly undertake the approved projects for modernization
4 of election equipment. The portion of the cost of modernization
5 of election equipment beyond the grant received from the
6 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall be borne by the county.
7 Section 2. The sum of $30,000,000, or as much thereof as may
8 be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Department of State
9 for use by the Secretary of the Commonwealth in making grants
10 authorized by this act.
11 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
L17L25JS/19910H0419B0478 - 4 -