Test Drive Our New Site! We have some improvements in the works that we're excited for you to experience. Click here to try our new, faster, mobile friendly beta site. We will be maintaining our current version of the site thru mid 2025, so you can switch back as our improvements continue.
Legislation Quick Search
12/09/2024 09:12 PM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20170&cosponId=21270
Share:
Home / Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Subscribe to PaLegis Notifications
NEW!

Subscribe to receive notifications of new Co-Sponsorship Memos circulated

By Member | By Date | Keyword Search


Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2017 - 2018 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: December 9, 2016 01:38 PM
From: Senator Lisa Baker
To: All Senate members
Subject: Permanent Absentee Voter Status
 
Please join me in co-sponsoring legislation amending Title 25 (Elections) to eliminate the requirement for disabled voters with permanent absentee voter status to submit a written statement every four years asserting that they remain disabled and continue to qualify for permanent absentee voter status. This bill was Senate Bill 334 last session.

Currently under the law, a voter who is permanently disabled or bedridden and is unable to attend the polls or operate a voting machine, with the certification of an attending physician, may be put on a permanently disabled absentee ballot list. The voter is automatically mailed an absentee ballot for each primary and general election, as long as a vote is cast in each prior election.

A disabled voter is not required to file a physician’s certificate of disability with each application, but is required to submit a written statement every four years asserting their continuing disability.

Because the law also provides that the county board of elections of the county of residence must be notified if the voter no longer claims a permanent disability, the additional requirement to submit a written statement is a burdensome responsibility that should be eliminated.

Previous co-sponsors were Senators Greenleaf, Fontana, Vulakovich, Boscola and Schwank.

Thank you for your consideration.




Introduced as SB263