THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY JOSEPHS, MANN, FABRIZIO AND PAYTON, JULY 26, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JULY 26, 2011  

A JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth

of Pennsylvania, further providing for election and

registration laws.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby resolves as follows:

Section 1.  The following amendment to the Constitution of

Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:

That section 6 of Article VII be amended to read:

§ 6.  Election and registration laws.

All laws regulating the holding of elections by the citizens,

or for the registration of electors, shall be uniform throughout

the State, except that laws regulating and requiring the

registration of electors may be enacted to apply to cities only,

provided that such laws be uniform for cities of the same class,

and except further, that the General Assembly shall by general

law, permit the use of voting machines, or other mechanical

devices for registering or recording and computing the vote, at

all elections or primaries, in any county, city, borough,

incorporated town or township of the Commonwealth, at the option

of the electors of such county, city, borough, incorporated town

or township, without being obliged to require the use of such

voting machines or mechanical devices in any other county, city,

borough, incorporated town or township, under such regulations

with reference thereto as the General Assembly may from time to

time prescribe. The General Assembly shall, by general law,

provide a manner by which qualified electors vote at local

polling places that shall not include the requirement to present

photo identification in order to vote, except as required by

Federal law. The General Assembly may, from time to time,

prescribe the number and duties of election officers in any

political subdivision of the Commonwealth in which voting

machines or other mechanical devices authorized by this section

may be used.

Section 2.  (a)  Upon the first passage by the General

Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the

Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to

comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article

XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the

required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in

which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after

passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.

(b)  Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this

proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the

Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the

advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the

Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required

advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such

newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of

this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the

Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment

to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first

primary, general or municipal election which meets the

requirements of and is in conformance with section 1 of Article

XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and which occurs at least

three months after the proposed constitutional amendment is

passed by the General Assembly.