HARRISBURG, September 26, 2024 – State Senator Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks), chairwoman of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, joined Senator Amanda Cappelletti (D-Montgomery) and Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) to host a public hearing on email access – current and correspondence voting.
The hearing, held yesterday at the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg, included two panel discussions that included perspectives from local government officials and voting rights groups, highlighting the various election rules and procedures in place across the commonwealth and how state government can improve the process.
“The ability to cast a ballot is one of the cornerstones of our democracy, and I am grateful that bipartisan participation in our Policy Committee hearing was intended to highlight some of the ways we can make our elections more accessible, transparent and effective,” Muth said.
In May, the House of Representatives adopted this resolution House Bill 847 by party-line voting, which would require the District Election Commission to meet no earlier than 7 days before the election to pre-check all ballots received up to that point. Under current law, counties cannot begin collecting ballots until 7 a.m. on Election Day. The bill has been pending in the Senate Government Committee for over four months.
“Yesterday’s hearing was a spirited discussion on how we can work together to remove barriers for both voters and county election workers during the mail-in and absentee voting process across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Cappelletti. “My priority continues to be expanding access to the ballot, improving our election processes, and supporting the counties and election workers who devote many hours to ensuring we have a free and fair election process here in the commonwealth. Every eligible voter in Pennsylvania deserves to be heard in this and all elections.”
Testimony at the hearing also focused on current Pennsylvania law, which disqualifies absentee ballots if they have one of several defects, including an incomplete voter declaration, missing signature, incorrect date or failure to apply a sealed envelope, or if they are received after 8 p.m. on election day. Nearly 16,000 ballots from otherwise eligible voters were disqualified in the April 2024 primary election.
“We want to make sure Pennsylvania voters understand that mail-in ballots are a safe and convenient way to make their voices heard in the election. It is also important that the Legislature works with county officials responsible for administering our elections to ensure an effective process,” added Senator Schwank. “Yesterday’s hearing not only allowed us to dispel some of the misinformation about mail-in voting, but also gave us a better understanding of how the Legislature can help election administrators.”
Participants at the hearing included Krista Kerr, deputy director of election services for Chester County; James Allen, Director of Elections, Delaware County; Lauren Cristella, president and CEO of the Committee of the Seventy; Jeff Reber, Union County commissioner and chairman of the Pennsylvania Association of County Commissioners’ Election Reform Committee; and Philip Hensley-Robin, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania
“This hearing was an important reminder that our elections are fair, free and secure, and that mail-in ballots are a great way for voters to have their voices heard,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny). . “I look forward to continuing conversations about expanding voting freedom that will encourage more Pennsylvanians to vote in every election.”
Pennsylvania’s official voter information website is available at www.vote.pa.gov. The website also includes information on how to register to vote and how to register to vote by mail. If you have questions about local voting, click here for a complete list of all county election officials.
State Sen. Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny) also participated in the hearing virtually.
For more information about this policy hearing and to access all testimony submitted and the full recording of today’s hearing, please visit www.SenatorMuth.com/policy.
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Panel 1: City officials
Panel 2: Political solutions
