Pennsylvania HB 735: An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, in Commonwealth budget procedures, providing for scope and for definitions; providing for Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force; in powers and duties of Department of Human Services and its departmental administrative and advisory boards and commissions, providing for child support enforcement fees; and, in judicial administration, providing for surcharge and fee.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 759
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 735
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SOLOMON, MAKO, KHAN, HILL-EVANS, WEBSTER, GREEN
AND KENYATTA, FEBRUARY 25, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 25, 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 nomination of candidates, further providing
for casting of lots for position of names upon the primary
ballots or ballot labels and notice to candidates; in
ballots, further providing for form of official election
ballot and providing for order of candidates on the ballot;
in voting machines, further providing for demonstration of
voting machines; and, in Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory
Board, providing for ballot order randomization study.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Sections 915 and 1003(b) and (f) of the act of
June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania
Election Code, are amended to read:
Section 915. Casting of Lots for Position of Names Upon the
Primary Ballots or Ballot Labels; Notice to Candidates.--
Immediately after the last day fixed for filing of such
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nomination petitions with them, the Secretary of the
Commonwealth or the county board, as the case may be, shall fix
a day for the casting of lots, in such manner as may be
prescribed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, or county
board, as the case may be, for the position of names upon the
primary ballots or ballot labels. The Secretary of the
Commonwealth shall give at least two (2) days notice by mail of
said date to all candidates whose petitions have been received
and filed in his office, and the county board shall give at
least two (2) days notice of said date by posting thereof in a
conspicuous place in its office, and by publication once in at
least two newspapers of general circulation published in the
county. All candidates may appear in person, or by agent duly
authorized by letter of attorney, signed and acknowledged by an
officer empowered to take acknowledgments. In the event of any
of said candidates not being present in person or by
representative at the time of casting of lots, it shall be the
duty of the Secretary of the Commonwealth or the county board,
as the case may be, to appoint some person to represent such
absentee. After said lots are cast, the Secretary of the
Commonwealth or the county board, as the case may be, shall
accordingly establish the order in which the names of said
candidates are to appear upon the primary ballots or ballot
labels, and certify the same for placing upon the official
primary ballots or ballot labels. For candidates to offices
which are to be voted on by electors of more than one county,
the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall create a list of such
counties ordered by number of registered electors able to vote
for the office, organized from most registered electors to
least. Lots shall be drawn to determine the order in which the
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names of candidates are to appear upon the ballot in the county
with the most registered electors able to vote for the office.
For each successive county in the list, the order in which the
names of candidates are to appear shall be rotated such that the
name of the candidate listed first in the county with the
greatest number of registered electors eligible to vote for the
office shall appear last on the ballot in the county with the
second-most registered electors eligible to vote for the office,
and the name of the candidate listed second in the county with
the greatest number of registered electors eligible to vote for
the office shall appear first in the county with the second-most
registered electors eligible to vote for the office. The same
rotation of candidate names shall continue for each county in
the ordered list.
Section 1003. Form of Official Election Ballot.--
* * *
(b) On the back of each ballot shall be printed in prominent
type the words "Official Ballot," followed by the designation of
the election district for which it is prepared, the date of the
election and the facsimile signatures of the members of the
county board of elections. The names of candidates shall be
arranged under the title of the office for which they are
candidates, and shall be printed [th