Pennsylvania HB 1487: An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in election districts and polling places, further providing for polling places to be selected by county board; and, in qualifications of electors, further providing for residence of electors.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1741
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1487
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY DAWKINS, HILL-EVANS, WAXMAN, RABB, GIRAL, SANCHEZ,
MADDEN, BELLMON, RIVERA, D. WILLIAMS, KENYATTA AND GREEN,
MAY 16, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MAY 21, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled
"An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,
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," in election districts and polling places, further
providing for polling places to be selected by county board;
and, in qualifications of electors, further providing for
residence of electors.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 526 of the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333,
No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, is amended by
adding a subsection to read:
Section 526. Polling Places to Be Selected by County
Board.--* * *
(a.1) The county board of elections in a county of the first
class shall provide an additional polling place in the county
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prison for individuals registering their residence at the prison
under section 703(4)(ii).
* * *
Section 2. Section 703 of the act is amended to read:
Section 703. Residence of Electors.--For the purpose of
registration and voting, no person shall be deemed to have
gained a residence by reason of his presence, or lost it by
reason of his absence, [while] in any of the following
circumstances:
(1) Being employed in the service, either civil or military,
of [this State] the Commonwealth or of the United States[, nor
while].
(2) Being engaged in the navigation of the waters of [the
State] this Commonwealth or of the United States, or on the high
seas[, nor while].
(3) Being a student of any institution of learning[, nor
while kept in any poorhouse or other asylum].
(4) Being in an institution at public expense[, nor while
confined in public prison, except that any]. This paragraph does
not apply to any of the following:
(i) A veteran who resides in a home for disabled and
indigent soldiers and sailors, operated and maintained by the
Commonwealth [of Pennsylvania,] and who possesses all the
qualifications for voting. [, may gain a residence for
registration and voting at the home for disabled and indigent
soldiers and sailors. The provisions of this amendment shall not
be construed to affect the voting rights of bedridden or
hospitalized veterans who choose to vote as absentee electors by
the use of veteran's official ballots.] The veteran may elect to
use that residence for registration and voting or elect to vote
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as an absentee elector by the use of an absentee ballot.
(ii) An individual who is incarcerated in a county prison in
a county of the first class and who is awaiting trial or
sentencing or serving a sentence for a misdemeanor or summary
offense. The individual may elect to utilize that residence for
registration and voting or elect to vote as an absentee elector
by the use of an absentee ballot.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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