PRINTER'S NO. 3705
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2483
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY WILLIAMS, SAPPEY, SCHLOSSBERG, LEE, SANCHEZ,
ULLMAN, HILL-EVANS, RAVENSTAHL, WEBSTER, DONATUCCI, HARKINS,
DALEY, MERSKI, SCHWEYER, DELLOSO, WARREN, NEILSON, A. DAVIS,
FRANKEL AND GAINEY, MAY 4, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MAY 4, 2020
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled
"An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,
special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates,
primary and election expenses and election contests; creating
and defining membership of county boards of elections;
imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners;
imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying,
revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and
repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to
elections," in voting by qualified absentee electors, further
providing for canvassing of official absentee ballots and
mail-in ballots.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1308(g)(2) of the act of June 3, 1937
(P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code,
amended October 31, 2019 (P.L.552, No.77), is amended to read:
Section 1308. Canvassing of Official Absentee Ballots and
Mail-in Ballots.--* * *
(g) * * *
(2) [The county board of elections shall meet no earlier
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than the close of polls on the day of the election and no later
than the third day following the election to begin canvassing
the absentee ballots and mail-in ballots received under this
subsection and subsection (h)(2).] Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the county board of elections may meet within
fourteen days prior to the close of polls on the day of the
election and shall meet no later than the third day following
the election to begin canvassing absentee ballots and mail-in
ballots received under this section and subsection (h)(2). The
canvass shall continue through the eighth day following the
election. The contents of absentee ballots and mail-in ballots
shall remain confidential until the close of polls on the day of
the election and, thereafter, shall be disclosed only as
provided by law. One authorized representative of each candidate
in an election and one representative from each political party
shall be permitted to remain in the room in which the absentee
ballots and mail-in ballots are canvassed. Representatives shall
be permitted to challenge any absentee elector or mail-in
elector in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (3).
* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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