PRINTER'S NO. 2585

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

2217

Session of

2022

INTRODUCED BY O'MARA, ZABEL, SANCHEZ, MALAGARI, CIRESI,

D. WILLIAMS, HOHENSTEIN, SCHLOSSBERG, DAVIDSON, SCHWEYER,

ISAACSON, CONKLIN, WARREN, HILL-EVANS, WEBSTER, DEASY,

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," providing for early voting in elections.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Section 1201-A. Conduct of early voting.

(a) Authority to conduct.--Notwithstanding law or regulation

to the contrary, each county board shall provide for a period of

early voting in elections as provided for in this article.

(b) Issuance of ballots and voting booths.--The following

apply:

(1) If a request is made to vote early by a registered

elector, the county board shall issue a ballot to the

registered elector, except in districts where voting machines

are used in accordance with Article XI, for in-person early

voting machines and other suitable equipment for voting on

the premises of the county board and at any other early

voting polling place designated by the county board for the

conduct of early voting in accordance with this article.

(c) Maintenance of list.--The county board shall maintain a

list of all registered electors in each election district who

vote during the early voting period. The list must be maintained

for each election district in the county. Before the opening of

the polls on election day, the county board shall deliver to the

judges of elections in each election district the list of

but not limited to, any school, county building or any other

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office or building owned or maintained by the county. A

registered elector entitled to early voting may do so at any

polling place established by the county board for early

voting.

(2) During each election, the county board, in a county

with a population of over 250,000, shall establish at least

one permanent polling place for in-person early voting at a

Federal decennial census.

(3) During each election, the county board in a county

with a municipality with a population of over 100,000, shall

establish at least three permanent polling places for in-

person early voting.

(4) During each election, the county board in a county

with a population of over 100,000 but under 250,000, shall

establish at least one permanent polling place for in-person

early voting.

(5) The location for early voting may be the county

within 1.5 miles of another permanent polling place required

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under this section, unless the permanent polling place is

within a municipality with a population of 500,000 or more.

(7) All population figures enumerated in this section

shall be determined by the most recent Federal decennial

census.

Section 1203-A. Period for early voting.

(a) Commencement and end of early voting.--The period for

permanent polling place for early voting must remain open

beginning the 30th day before an election through the end of

the day before election day as follows:

(i) during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or

9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays; and

(ii) during the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on

Saturdays and holidays and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on

Sundays.

(2) Eight days before election day a permanent polling

place for early voting must remain open during the hours of

during the early voting period.

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(c) Emergency closure of polling place.--Notwithstanding

subsection (b), a county board may close an early voting polling

place if the building in which the polling place is located has

been closed by a State, county or local agency in response to a

severe weather emergency or other emergency. The county board

shall notify the Secretary of the Commonwealth of any closure

and shall make reasonable efforts to provide notice to the

(1) The schedules for the conduct of early voting under

section 1203-A(b) shall not apply to temporary polling

places. Early voting at temporary polling places may be

conducted on any one or more days and during any hours within

the early voting period established for in-person early

voting under section 1203-A(b), as determined by the county

board.

(2) The schedules for the conduct of early voting at a

temporary polling place do not need to be uniform among the

temporary polling places.

that early voting will be conducted at the public building. A

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municipality making a public building available as a permanent

or temporary early voting polling place shall ensure that any

portion of the building made available is accessible to voters

with disabilities and elderly voters.

Section 1206-A. Publication of early voting locations and

schedules.

(a) Notice.--During the week immediately preceding the

each such polling place; and

(2) the dates and hours that early voting will be

conducted at each temporary early voting polling place.

(b) Posting requirements.--Each county board shall post a

copy of the schedule at an office or other location that is to

be used as a temporary early voting polling place. The schedule

must be posted continuously for a period beginning not later

than the 10th day before the commencement of early voting and

ending on the last day of the early voting period.

(c) Copies.--The county board must make copies of the

The following apply:

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(1) No additional permanent early voting polling places

may be established after the schedule is published under this

section.

(2) Additional temporary early voting polling places may

be established after the schedule is published if the

temporary early voting polling places are open to all

registered electors. The locations, dates and hours of all

Commonwealth with a list of all permanent and temporary early

voting polling places and the hours each polling place will be

open for early voting.

Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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