PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 266
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
292
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY MASTRIANO, GEBHARD, HUTCHINSON, STEFANO, J. WARD
AND DUSH, JANUARY 31, 2023
REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 31, 2023
A JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing separate and distinct amendments to the Constitution
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for
method of elections and secrecy in voting and for absentee
voting; and providing for permanent list prohibited.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby resolves as follows:
Section 1. The following separate and distinct amendments to
the Constitution of Pennsylvania are proposed in accordance with
Article XI:
(1) That section 4 of Article VII be amended to read:
§ 4. Method of elections; secrecy in voting.
[All] (a) Except as permitted by absentee ballot under
section 14, all elections by the citizens shall be by ballot [or
by such other method as may be prescribed by law] cast in person
by electors at their polling place: Provided, That secrecy in
voting be preserved.
(b) Except in the case of a ballot cast by a qualified
military or overseas elector, a ballot that is not cast in
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person at a polling place must be received by a county board of
elections no later than 5 o'clock P.M. on the Friday before an
election.
(2) That section 14 of Article VII be amended by adding a
subsection to read:
§ 14. Absentee voting.
* * *
(a.1) Each ballot returned that is not cast in person at a
polling place shall be subject to signature verification.
* * *
(3) That Article VII be amended by adding a section to read:
§ 15. Permanent list prohibited.
The creation, existence or maintenance of a permanent list of
qualified electors who vote by a ballot that is not cast in
person at a polling place shall be prohibited.
Section 2. The following procedure applies to the proposed
constitutional amendments in this joint resolution:
(1) Upon first passage by the General Assembly of the
amendments, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed
immediately to comply with the advertising requirements of
section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania.
(2) Upon the second passage of the amendments by the
General Assembly, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall
proceed immediately to comply with the advertising
requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution
of Pennsylvania. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall:
(i) Submit the amendment under section 1(1) of this
resolution to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth
as a separate ballot question at the first primary,
general or municipal election which meets the
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requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania.
(ii) Submit the amendment under section 1(2) of this
resolution to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth
as a separate ballot question at the first primary,
general or municipal election which meets the
requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania.
(iii) Submit the amendment under section 1(3) of
this resolution to the qualified electors of this
Commonwealth as a separate ballot question at the first
primary, general or municipal election which meets the
requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania.
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