Pennsylvania HB 1396: An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; in district election officers, further providing for compensation of district election officers; in election districts and polling places, providing for ballot drop boxes; in electronic voting systems, further providing for definitions and for supplies, preparation of the voting system and of polling places, providing for pre-election logic and accuracy testing, repealing provisions relating to statistical sample and providing for post-election ballot audit; providing for electronic poll books and for electronic poll books and election infrastructure equipment bonds; in preparation for and conduct of primaries and elections, further providing for manner of applying to vote, persons entitled to vote, voter's certificates, entries to be made in district register, numbered lists of voters and challenges and for deadline for receipt of valid voter registration application; providing for in-person early voting; in voting by qualified absentee electors, further providing for date of application for absentee ballot, for approval of application for absentee ballot, for envelopes for official absentee ballots and for voting by absentee electors; in voting by qualified mail-in electors, further providing for applications for official mail-in ballots, for date of application for mail-in ballot, for approval of application for mail-in ballot, for envelopes for official mail-in ballots and for voting by mail-in electors; in returns of primaries and elections, further providing for computation of returns by county board, certification and issuance of certificates of election; in Election Integrity Grant Program, further providing for funding for elections; in recounts and contests, further providing for opening ballot boxes upon petition of electors alleging fraud or error and deposit or bond, for recanvassing voting machines upon petition of electors alleging fraud or error and for correction of returns, decision not to be final and evidence for prosecution; in penalties, further providing for interference with primaries and elections, frauds and conspiracy; making an appropriation; and making an editorial change. Amending Title 25 (Elections) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in registration system, further providing for SURE system; in voter registration, further providing for methods of voter registration, for application with driver's license application and for government agencies and for approval of registration applications; and, in changes in records, repealing provisions relating to removal notices, to transfer of registration and to change of enrollment of political party and further providing for death of registrant.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1584 PRINTER'S NO. 1688
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1396
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY McCLINTON, VENKAT, INGLIS, KHAN, GREEN, KAZEEM,
WEBSTER AND WARREN, MAY 5, 2025
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
MAY 12, 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 preliminary provisions, further providing for
definitions; in district election officers, further providing
for compensation of district election officers; in election
districts and polling places, providing for ballot drop
boxes; in electronic voting systems, further providing for
definitions and for supplies, preparation of the voting
system and of polling places, providing for pre-election
logic and accuracy testing, repealing provisions relating to
statistical sample and providing for post-election ballot
audit; providing for electronic poll books and for electronic
poll books and election infrastructure equipment bonds; in
preparation for and conduct of primaries and elections,
further providing for manner of applying to vote, persons
entitled to vote, voter's certificates, entries to be made in
district register, numbered lists of voters and challenges
and for deadline for receipt of valid voter registration
application; providing for in-person early voting; in voting
by qualified absentee electors, further providing for date of
application for absentee ballot, for approval of application
for absentee ballot, for envelopes for official absentee
ballots and for voting by absentee electors; in voting by
qualified mail-in electors, further providing for
applications for official mail-in ballots, for date of
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application for mail-in ballot, for approval of application
for mail-in ballot, for envelopes for official mail-in
ballots and for voting by mail-in electors; in returns of
primaries and elections, further providing for computation of
returns by county board, certification and issuance of
certificates of election; in Election Integrity Grant
Program, further providing for funding for elections; in
recounts and contests, further providing for opening ballot
boxes upon petition of electors alleging fraud or error and
deposit or bond, for recanvassing voting machines upon
petition of electors alleging fraud or error and for
correction of returns, decision not to be final and evidence
for prosecution; in penalties, further providing for
interference with primaries and elections, frauds and
conspiracy; making an appropriation; and making an editorial
change.
Amending Title 25 (Elections) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, in registration system, further providing for SURE
system; in voter registration, further providing for
qualifications to register, for methods of voter
registration, for application with driver's license
application and for government agencies and for approval of
registration applications; and, in changes in records,
repealing provisions relating to removal notices, to transfer
of registration and to change of enrollment of political
party and further providing for death of registrant.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 102(q.1) of the act of June 3, 1937
(P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, is
amended and the section is amended by adding subsections to
read:
Section 102. Definitions.--The following words, when used in
this act, shall have the following meanings, unless otherwise
clearly apparent from the context:
* * *
(q.1) The word "pre-canvass" shall mean 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.] the preparation of those ballots for scanning,
including unfolding, straightening and duplicating if the ballot
is damaged in some way that prevents it from being scanned but
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where the voter's intent is still clear. It shall also include
scanning the ballot into a voting machine or other automatic
tabulating device, if the equipment used by the county board of
elections permits a ballot to be scanne