With a bipartisan bill introduced March 17 in the House of Representatives and more legislation expected this Spring, experts say conditions look favorable for long-anticipated improvements to Pennsylvania’s election code.
The code, enacted June 3, 1937, was last updated with Act 77, which allowed Pennsylvanians to vote by mail-in ballot for the first time in the 2020 primary and general elections.
Earlier this year in an interview with Votebeat Pennsylvania, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt called for the General Assembly to prioritize unresolved issues with the application of Act 77 across the counties, and to bring about “greater uniformity” in the election process.
Stakeholders say lawmakers are responding.
“What we are seeing does seem like there is an appetite for election reform,” said Deborah Rose Hinchey, Pennsylvania state director for All Voting Is Local.
AVL is a nonpartisan group working to “advance pro-voter policies at the state and local level” in PA and seven other states.
What 2024 revealed
Hinchey noted “glaring issues” with last year’s general election, including widespread confusion about mail-in ballots and lines outside election offices with wait times up to six hours in some counties.
“We’re never trying to make [voting] an all-day affair,” she said.
In Bucks County, reports of voters allegedly being turned away leading up to and during Election Day led the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee to sue for a deadline extension, which a state judge granted.
County representatives claimed the long lines and confusion arose from various factors, including lack of funding for adequate staff, antiquated machinery, and misinformation that was circulated about the on-demand process.
Current code does not allow for in-person early voting; however, since Act 77, citizens can request a mail-in ballot be printed at their county government office. Voters can either complete the ballot and submit it to an election worker in person or take it home to complete. Processing an on-demand mail ballot in person can take up to 12 minutes.
“A lot of people in that line thought that they were voting early,” Hinchey said.
She pointed to what she calls “common sense” solutions — and emphasized implementing a true early voting system.
In recent years, Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia) has introduced early voting packages, which did not pass through the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana) has stated his party’s priority is tighter voter ID requirements.
But Hinchey said last year’s election failures, “were pointing at something very, very real,” and could potentially bring legislators on both sides of the aisle together.
“This issue knows no party,” she said. “Both Democrats and Republicans stood in those six-hour lines prior to election day.”
New and upcoming bills
House Bill 771, introduced March 17 by Rep. Thomas Mehaffie (R-Dauphin), would require voters to show proof of identification that matches the name listed with county records at each election. Currently, voters are only required to show ID when registering to vote or voting for the first time.
The bill is co-sponsored by 12 other legislators, including two Democrats: Rep. Frank Burns (Cambria) and Rep. Ed Neilson (Philadelphia); as well as Bucks County Republican Rep. K.C. Tomlinson.
“Voter ID is common sense and overwhelmingly supported by a majority of Pennsylvanians,” Rep. Tomlinson stated in a press release. “These are the things we are sent here to accomplish, and it’s about time we get it done.”
Democratic co-sponsor Rep. Frank Burns stated:
“As elected officials we need to do everything we can to eliminate fears of election fraud and guarantee election integrity – restoring voters’ confidence in the electoral process—especially when so many Pennsylvanians believe ID should be required in order to vote.”
If passed, the act would go into effect January 1, 2027.
But Hinchey said expanded voter ID would be a “huge disservice” to voters and could exacerbate wait times.
“We should be focused on making things easier, not more difficult.”
Other stakeholders on the ground agree, including Kadida Kenner, president and CEO of the New Pennsylvania Project, an organization focused on expanding the electorate.
READ: Control of Pennsylvania Supreme Court at Stake in 2025 Election
Kenner also differs with Rep. Tomlinson’s interpretation of “common sense.”
“If they’re going to make it harder, [with legislation] disproportionately affecting communities of color, then they’re going to have to counter that with something that opens up ballot access,” said Kenner.
Currently 1.2 million Pennsylvanians are eligible but unregistered to vote, according to the State Department.
Rep. McClinton told the Bucks County Beacon she is again planning to introduce an early voting package.
“I am currently working on legislation that would permit early in-person voting and offer secure same-day voter registration,” McClinton stated in an email. “Both commonsense measures are widely used in other states, are popular with Pennsylvanians, would make casting a secure ballot easier for eligible voters, and, ultimately boost participation.”
Kenner said she previously resided in North Carolina, where both early voting and same-day registration were part of the process, and, “election days were always successful.”
Hinchey pointed to a study by AVL comparing early voter turnout in the 2024 general election in Pennsylvania vs Michigan. Both states are similar in population. Michigan implemented an early voting system for the first time during the 2024 cycle. The pre-election day voting percentage in Michigan more than doubled Pennsylvania (58.6% and 26.8% respectively).
When asked if House Republicans would be open to supporting early voting legislation, Tomlinson’s office did not provide a response.
Moving forward with trust
Kenner said while she and her organization’s main focus is expanding ballot access, she recognizes the importance of voters’ faith in the election process. She suggested members of the General Assembly hold town hall meetings with their constituents to open up dialogue.
“I think that goes a long way,” Kenner said. “Actually communicating what’s happening with our elections, so the public can feel secure.”
Kenner said providing the opportunity to ask questions about the ever-changing process would lead to more confidence and higher turnout, especially for first-time voters.
“As election law continues to change, it gets more confusing each year to voters who just want to cast a ballot two times a year, without the drama,” Kenner said. “That’s what the average Pennsylvanian wants.”
