Pennsylvania 2023-2024 Regular Session

Pennsylvania Senate Bill SB603

Introduced
4/17/23  

Caption

In district election officers, further providing for appointment of watchers; in Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory Board, further providing for Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory Board; in recounts and contests, providing for powers and duties of the Attorney General relating to elections; and, in penalties, further providing for disobeying lawful instructions, for perjury, for false affidavits of candidates, for refusal to permit inspection of papers, destruction or removal and Secretary of the Commonwealth, for refusal to permit inspection of papers, destruction or removal and county boards of elections, for insertion and alteration of entries in documents, removal and refusal to deliver, for refusal to permit overseers, watchers, attorneys or candidates to act, for driving away watchers, attorneys, candidates or overseers, for refusal to permit election officers, clerks and machine inspectors to act and driving away said persons, for refusal to administer oath and acting without being sworn, for violation of oath of office by election officers, for peace officers, failure to render assistance and hindering or delaying county board members and others, for nomination petitions and papers and offenses by signers, for false signatures and statements in nomination petitions and papers, for nomination petitions, certificates and papers, destruction, fraudulent filing and suppression, for offenses by printers of ballots, for unlawful possession of ballots and counterfeiting ballots, for forging and destroying ballots, for tampering with voting machines, for destroying, defacing or removing notices, et cetera, for police officers at polling places, for peace officer, failure to quell disturbances at polls, hindering or delaying election officers and others, for election officers permitting unregistered electors to vote, challenges and refusing to permit qualified electors to vote, for election officers refusing to permit elector to vote in proper party at primaries, for frauds by election officers, for prying into ballots, for interference with primaries and elections, frauds and conspiracy, for persons interfering in other districts, for assault and battery at polls, for unlawful assistance in voting, for election officers permitting unlawful assistance, for failure to keep and return record of assisted voters, for unlawful voting, for elector voting ballot of wrong party at primary, for repeat voting at elections, for removing ballots, for commissioners to take soldiers' votes, for fraudulent voting by soldiers, for bribery at elections, for receipts and disbursements of primary and election expenses by persons other than candidates and treasurers, for receipts of primary and election expenses by unauthorized persons, for contributions by corporations or unincorporated associations, for failure to file expense account, for prohibiting duress and intimidation of voters and interference with the free exercise of the elective franchise, for failure to perform duty, for hindering or delaying performance of duty and for violation of any provision of act.

Impact

The impact of SB603 on state laws includes broadening the powers of the Attorney General concerning election-related complaints and establishing strict penalties for actions such as voter intimidation and election fraud. This amendment not only aims to tighten the electoral process but also reflects an effort to maintain a high level of compliance within electoral operations. By detailing the responsibilities and scope of watchers, the bill seeks to ensure fairer elections through heightened observation and accountability in polling places.

Summary

Senate Bill 603 focuses on amending Pennsylvania's election laws, specifically targeting the appointment of watchers, the powers and duties of the Attorney General related to election complaints, and defining new penalties for various election-related offenses. The bill includes provisions for more stringent oversight of election processes and reinforces the legal powers of the Attorney General in investigating and addressing election violations. An important aspect of this bill is the enhancement of the role of watchers, allowing them greater access and authority during elections, which can significantly influence the transparency of the electoral process anew.

Sentiment

The sentiment surrounding SB603 is notably polarized. Proponents argue that the bill is essential for protecting the integrity of elections and preventing voter fraud, thereby increasing public confidence in electoral outcomes. Meanwhile, critics express concerns that the expanded powers given to watchers and enforcement mechanisms could lead to increased voter intimidation and harassment, particularly against marginalized communities. This tension reflects a broader debate on balancing electoral integrity with the rights of voters to participate freely and without duress.

Contention

Notable points of contention in SB603 involve the potential for misuse of authority by election watchers, which some stakeholders fear could lead to undue pressure on voters at polling places. Additionally, the strict penalties proposed for violations could face scrutiny regarding their potential for excessive punishment, raising debates about proportionality in election law enforcement. Advocates for civil rights and fair voting practices highlight these concerns, prompting discussions about amendments to mitigate risks associated with the implementation of the bill.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

PA HB1217

In preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions, repealing provisions relating to public funding of elections, providing for legislative authority over elections, establishing the Bureau of Election Audits and providing for special standing in challenges to the Election Code; in the Secretary of the Commonwealth, further providing for powers and duties of the Secretary of the Commonwealth and providing for reports on implementation of elections; in county boards of elections, further providing for powers and duties of county boards and providing for county boards of elections and satellite offices; in district election officers, further providing for district election boards and election, for qualifications of election officers, for tie votes for judge and inspector, for clerks of election and machine inspectors, for vacancies in election boards, appointment, judge and majority inspector to be members of majority party and minority inspector to be member of minority party, for election officers to be sworn, for oath of judge of election, for oaths of inspectors of election, for oaths of clerks of election, for oath of machine inspectors, for power of election officers to administer oaths, for compensation of district election officers and for appointment of watchers; in election districts and polling places, further providing for polling places to be selected by county board, for public buildings to be used where possible and portable polling places and for temporary polling places; providing for registration of electors; in ballots, further providing for form of official election ballot and for number of ballots to be printed and specimen ballots; in voting machines, further providing for examination and approval of voting machines by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, for requirements of voting machines, for preparation of voting machines by county election boards and for delivery of voting machines and supplies by county election boards to election officers; in electronic voting systems, further providing for experimental use of electronic voting systems and for statistical sample and providing for requirements of accessible voting machines and for voting system defects, disclosure, investigations and penalties; repealing provisions relating to voting apparatus bonds; providing for election equipment funding; in preparation for and conduct of primaries and elections, providing for voter's bill of rights, for senior voter's bill of rights and for disabled voter's bill of rights and further providing for delivery of ballots and supplies to judges of election, for time for opening and closing polls, for opening of polls, posting cards of instruction and notices of penalties and voters' rights and examination of voting machines, 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, for assistance in voting and for deadline for receipt of valid voter registration application and providing for prohibitions; in voting by qualified absentee electors, further providing for applications for official absentee ballots, for date of application for absentee ballot, for delivering or mailing ballots and for voting by absentee electors, providing for supervised voting by qualified absentee electors in certain facilities and further providing for canvassing of official absentee ballots and mail-in ballots; 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 delivering or mailing ballots and for voting by mail-in electors; in Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory Board, further providing for Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory Board; providing for early voting by qualified electors; in returns of primaries and elections, further providing for returns to be open to public inspection and exceptions and for computation of returns by county board, certification and issuance of certificates of election; repealing provisions relating to Election Integrity Grant Program; in recounts and contests, providing for powers and duties of the Attorney General relating to elections and for powers and duties of district attorneys relating to elections; in penalties, further providing for disobeying lawful instructions, for perjury, for false affidavits of candidates, for refusal to permit inspection of papers, destruction or removal and Secretary of the Commonwealth, for refusal to permit inspection of papers, destruction or removal and county boards of elections, for insertion and alteration of entries in documents, removal and refusal to deliver, for refusal to permit overseers, watchers, attorneys or candidates to act, for driving away watchers, attorneys, candidates or overseers, for refusal to permit election officers, clerks and machine inspectors to act and driving away said persons, for refusal to administer oath and acting without being sworn, for violation of oath of office by election officers, for peace officers, failure to render assistance and hindering or delaying county board members and others, for nomination petitions and papers and offenses by signers, for false signatures and statements in nomination petitions and papers, for nomination petitions, certificates and papers, destruction, fraudulent filing and suppression, for offenses by printers of ballots, for unlawful possession of ballots and counterfeiting ballots, for forging and destroying ballots, for tampering with voting machines, for destroying, defacing or removing notices, et cetera, for police officers at polling places, for peace officer, failure to quell disturbances at polls and hindering or delaying election officers and others, for election officers permitting unregistered electors to vote, challenges and refusing to permit qualified electors to vote, for election officers refusing to permit elector to vote in proper party at primaries, for frauds by election officers, for prying into ballots, for interference with primaries and elections, frauds and conspiracy, for persons interfering in other districts, for assault and battery at polls, for unlawful assistance in voting, for election officers permitting unlawful assistance, for failure to keep and return record of assisted voters, for unlawful voting, for elector voting ballot of wrong party at primary, for repeat voting at elections, for removing ballots, for commissioners to take soldiers' votes, for fraudulent voting by soldiers, for bribery at elections, for receipts and disbursements of primary and election expenses by persons other than candidates and treasurers, for receipts of primary and election expenses by unauthorized persons, for contributions by corporations or unincorporated associations, for failure to file expense account, for prohibiting duress and intimidation of voters and interference with the free exercise of the elective franchise, for failure to perform duty, for hindering or delaying performance of duty, for violation of any provision of act and for violations of provisions relating to absentee and mail-in ballots and repealing provisions relating to violation of public funding of elections and providing for unlawful collection of ballots and for prohibiting duress and intimidation of elections officials; providing for reimbursements and withholding; and making an appropriation and making a repeal.

PA HB280

In preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; in qualifications of electors, furth er providing for qualifications of electors at primaries; in party organization, further providing for only enrolled electors to vote at primaries or hold party offices; in nomination of candidates, further providing for candidates to be nominated and party officers to be elected at primaries and providing for procedure for unenrolled electors to cast primary ballots; 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; in voting by qualified absentee electors, further providing for applications for official absentee ballots; in voting by qualified mail-in electors, further providing for applications for official mail-in ballots; in returns of primaries and elections, further providing for computation of returns by county board, certification and issuance of certificates of election; and, in penalties, further providing for election officers refusing to permit elector to vote in proper party at primaries and repealing provisions relating to elector voting ballot of wrong party at primary.

PA HB123

In county boards of elections, further providing for powers and duties of county boards; in datesof elections and primaries and special elections, providing for authorization of ranked choice voting in municipal elections; in nomination of candidates, further providing for which candidates nominated; in ballots, further providing for form of official primary ballot; in electronic voting systems, further providing for election day procedures and the process of voting; in preparation for and conduct of primaries and elections, further providing for method of marking ballots and depositing same in districts in which ballots are used and for count and return of votes in districts in which ballots are used; and, in returns of primaries and elections, further providing for persons receiving highest number of votes to be declared elected.

PA SB599

In county boards of elections, further providing for expenses of county boards and of primaries and elections to be paid by county, expenses of special elections and boards to be provided with offices; in voting by qualified absentee electors, further providing for date of application for absentee ballot and for voting by absentee electors; and, in voting by qualified mail-in electors, further providing for voting by mail-in electors.

PA HB978

In district election officers, further providing for election officers to be sworn; in dates of el ections and primaries and special elections, further providing for affidavits of candidates; in nomination of candidates, further providing for petition may consist of several sheets and statement of circulator, for affidavits of candidates, for examination of nomination petitions, certificates and papers and return of rejected nomination petitions, certificates and papers, for vacancy in party nomination by failure to pay filing fee or for failure to file loyalty oath, for affidavits of candidates, for filling of certain vacancies in public office by means of nomination certificates and nomination papers and for substituted nominations to fill certain vacancies for a November election; in ballots, further providing for form of ballots and printing ballots; in returns of primaries and elections, further providing for manner of computing irregular ballots; and replacing references to "justice of the peace" with "magisterial district judge."

PA SB400

In preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; in qualifications of electors, furth er providing for qualifications of electors at primaries; in party organization, further providing for only enrolled electors to vote at primaries or hold party offices; in nomination of candidates, further providing for candidates to be nominated and party officers to be elected at primaries and providing for procedure for unenrolled electors to cast primary ballots; and, 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.

PA HB735

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.

PA HB1162

In preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; in county boards of elections, furth er providing for powers and duties of county boards; 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 ballots to be issued by election officers only, ballots not to be removed and official ballots only to be deposited or counted; in voting by qualified absentee electors, further providing for applications for official absentee ballots, for date of application for absentee ballot, for official absentee voters ballots, for voting by absentee electors and for canvassing of official absentee absentee ballots and mail-in ballots; in voting by qualified mail-in electors, further providing for applications for official mail-in ballots, for official mail-in elector ballots and for voting by mail-in electors.

PA HB1396

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.

PA SB332

In dates of elections and primaries and special elections, further providing for general primary and candidates to be nominated and party officers to be elected.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.