PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 1121
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
884
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY MASTRIANO, STEFANO, J. WARD, HUTCHINSON, MENSCH
AND PITTMAN, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021
REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021
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. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
Assembly of these proposed constitutional 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 and shall transmit the
required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
passage of these proposed constitutional amendments.
(b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of these
proposed constitutional 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 and shall transmit the required
advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
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these proposed constitutional amendments. The Secretary of the
Commonwealth shall:
(1) Submit the proposed constitutional 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
requirements of and is in conformance with section 1 of
Article XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and which
occurs at least three months after the proposed
constitutional amendment is passed by the General Assembly.
(2) Submit the proposed constitutional 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 and is in conformance with section 1 of
Article XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and which
occurs at least three months after the proposed
constitutional amendment is passed by the General Assembly.
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