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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2025 - 2026
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 13, 2024 09:57 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Patrick J. Stefano |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Mail-In Ballot Safeguards |
| In the near future, I intend to reintroduce legislation aimed at ensuring clarity and security for mail-in and absentee ballots, with the goal of restoring voter confidence in our election process. This legislation will repeal the provision of Act 77 of 2019 that established the annual mail-in voter list, commonly known by voters as having “permanent mail-in ballot status.” Additionally, it will ensure that only the Department of State or a county board of election has the authority to send mail-in ballot applications to eligible voters in our Commonwealth. Voter confidence in our election process has undeniably eroded in recent election cycles. The confusion surrounding the 2024 General Election was a stark example of how election-related litigation has undermined the public’s trust. For example, the chaotic series of rulings that took place in the days leading up to the election. On November 1, just four days before the General Election, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued an opinion overturning a Commonwealth Court decision from October 30. This October 30 ruling being in direct conflict with the Supreme Court’s own prior opinion from October 5, which had already overturned an even earlier Commonwealth Court ruling from August 30. The constant back-and-forth legal decisions surrounding mail-in ballots only increased voter confusion, especially when they received multiple mail-in ballot applications and conflicting voting instructions from political parties and get-out-the-vote groups each time a new ruling was issued. It is no surprise that this flood of unsolicited mail-in ballot applications and contradictory information frustrates our county election boards and leaves voters uncertain about how to properly participate in the election. By requiring eligible voters to apply for a mail-in ballot for each election and limiting the distribution of these applications to the Department of State or county boards of election, we can begin to address these concerns and work to restore faith in our electoral process. This legislation was previously Senate Bill 515 during the 2021-22 Session and was co-sponsored by Senators Aument, Mastriano, J. Ward, Scavello, Martin, Pittman, and Mensch. I sincerely hope you will join me in co-sponsoring this critical legislation to strengthen voter confidence in the integrity of our electoral system. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jeffrey Ivicic in my office at jivicic@pasen.gov. |
Memo Updated: December 13, 2024 10:00 AM