The governor opposes the new restrictions that would make it harder to vote.
HARRISBURG — A bill to require voter ID and make a host of other changes to Pennsylvania election law passed the state Senate Friday on party lines and is on its way to the Democratic governor, who plans to veto it.
Senators voted on party lines, 29-21, for the Republican-crafted measure, which would also alter registration and ballot counting deadlines and create several new methods to check election results.
“We are here once again dealing with the issue of what can clearly be termed voter suppression,” said state Sen. Vince Hughes (D-Philadelphia). He said all of the proposed changes would limit ballot access. “It’s all they do. They limit the franchise and not expand it.”
The bill was developed in large part in response to GOP voters’ anger over President Donald Trump’s re-election loss last year.
It also makes changes county elections officials have sought to begin processing ballots earlier and to set an earlier deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot.
Wolf press secretary Lyndsay Kensinger said Gov. Tom Wolf plans to veto the bill.
“Why are we going down this path, knowing that’s going to be the outcome?” asked Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), whose effort to add campaign finance reforms to the measure was voted down Friday by Republicans.
Under the bill, the registration deadline would change from 15 days to 30 days prior to an election, and mail-in ballots would have to be requested 15 days before the vote. Drop boxes for mail-in ballots would be limited to seven days before an election and monitored by designees of the major political parties.
Counties would get five days before election day to begin canvassing absentee and mail-in ballots.
The bill would make new rules for fixing problems on mail-in ballots envelopes, such as lack of signatures or dates.
There would be new county-issued voter registration cards, and signature matching procedures to verify voter eligibility.
Hughes warned signature verification is not reliable, that “there is no documented, fool-proof methodology that exists in this nation” to check signatures accurately.
Politics
Breaking down IVF: What it is and why it’s important in the fight for reproductive rights
In vitro fertilization, or IVF, has been at the forefront of a major reproductive rights battle, but what exactly is it? For many Americans, in...
Fetterman introduces bill to protect affordable internet access for 23 million households
The Affordable Connectivity Program expired on Tuesday due to Republican opposition, putting affordable high-speed internet access at risk for 23...
Democrats advance election bill in Pennsylvania long sought by counties to process ballots faster
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a bill long sought by counties seeking help to manage huge...
Local News
Look out, Sheetz, Wawa is officially moving into your territory with Central Pa. expansion
The Delaware County-based convenience store chain broke ground on its first Dauphin County location Wednesday in Middletown, with five more stores...
What do you know about Wawa? 7 fun facts about Pennsylvania’s beloved convenience store
Wawa has 60 years of Pennsylvania roots, and today the commonwealth’s largest private company has more than 1,000 locations along the east coast....