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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 12, 2023 12:09 PM |
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| From: | Representative Scott Conklin |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Help Counties Provide Quicker Election Returns |
| Under current law, pre-canvassing of absentee and mail-in ballots cannot begin until 7 a.m. on Election Day. "Pre-canvass" is defined in the Election Code as the inspection and opening of all envelopes containing official absentee ballots or mail-in ballots, the removal of such ballots from the envelopes and the counting, computing, and tallying of the votes reflected on the ballots. It does not include the recording or publishing of the votes reflected on the ballots. With more and more people voting by mail-in ballot, tabulating ballots and releasing election results is taking county boards of elections much longer. In House State Government Committee hearings we heard from numerous experts, including county election officials from both parties, who testified that our state should allow counties to pre-canvass mail and absentee ballots much earlier than the morning of the election. Many believe that delays in tabulating election returns can lead to voter suspicion and unfounded conspiracies. Allowing counties to pre-canvass mail ballots would significantly expedite the availability of election results. Legislative action is needed to give counties the time they need to address the enormous volume of mail-in ballots expected to be cast in future elections, especially the upcoming 2024 presidential election. We need to ensure that Pennsylvania does not become a national embarrassment on Election Day. To that end, in the near future I will re-introduce HB2625 of 2021-2022. At the request of county commissioners, this legislation would also make the deadline to apply by mail for an absentee ballot or mail-in ballot earlier. Additionally, this legislation will increase transparency for viewing the pre-canvass and canvass of ballots. Finally, the bill would require the county boards to notify electors who had minor defects with ballots so that they can be corrected prior to the election. Please join me in sponsoring this essential legislation. |
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Introduced as HB847