An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in preparation for and conduct of primaries and elections, further providing for assistance in voti . . .ng.
HB267 amends Pennsylvania’s Election Code provisions on assistance in voting. The bill keeps the existing rule that voters may receive assistance only when they have a qualifying disability or inability to read or write, but it adds a new explicit exception for voters who are physically unable to enter a polling place because of blindness, disease, or another disability. Under that new subsection, such voters may vote without leaving a motor vehicle, and election procedures may be adjusted as needed to carry out that process.
The bill also sets out a specific procedure for curbside or vehicle-based voting. At least two election officers from different major political parties must assist the voter, provide the ballot at the polling place entrance or curb, and accept the completed ballot for deposit. The voter may also request additional assistance under existing law, including help from a person of the voter’s choice, subject to the usual restrictions on who may assist. The bill retains and continues the requirement that assisted voting be documented in the record of assisted voters, with access to those records limited as provided in current law.
In terms of state law, HB267 would amend Section 1218 of the Pennsylvania Election Code and create a new subsection specifically authorizing voting from a motor vehicle for certain disabled voters. It would also allow the Secretary of the Commonwealth to establish guidelines for evidence of disability when the voter’s registration card does not already record the condition. The bill would take effect 60 days after enactment.
The available context shows no recorded committee debate or votes, so there is no documented public sentiment in the materials provided. Based on the bill text, the measure appears aimed at expanding accessibility and making voting more feasible for voters with mobility-related disabilities, while preserving anti-fraud safeguards through bipartisan election-officer involvement and recordkeeping.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided history, but the likely areas of concern would be the balance between expanded access and election integrity, the use of curbside voting at polling places, and the evidentiary standards for proving a disability when assistance is requested.
HB267 would modify the Pennsylvania Election Code’s rules on assistance in voting by adding a new right for certain disabled voters to cast a ballot without entering a polling place, including from a motor vehicle. It would affect county election boards, judges of election, and election officers by requiring bipartisan assistance procedures, allowing modified voting procedures for curbside voting, and preserving the assisted-voter recordkeeping and review framework. The bill would primarily impact voters with blindness, disease, or other disabilities that prevent entry into a polling place, as well as election administrators responsible for implementing accessible voting accommodations.
No committee transcript or vote history was provided, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition in the available record. The bill’s text suggests a generally pro-accessibility purpose, with safeguards designed to reassure those concerned about election administration and integrity. Overall, the measure appears to be framed as an accessibility expansion rather than a controversial policy shift, but the absence of recorded debate means sentiment cannot be assessed beyond the bill’s apparent intent.
The main potential points of contention are the scope of the new curbside voting right, how voters prove a qualifying disability when it is not already noted on registration records, and whether allowing voting from a vehicle could create administrative or security concerns. Another possible issue is the requirement that at least two election officers from different major parties assist the voter, which may be seen as a safeguard by supporters but as an added burden by election administrators. No specific objections or endorsements are documented in the provided materials.