Bill Text: PA HB2373 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Providing for election day registration; and prescribing penalties.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 17-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-03-25 - Referred to STATE GOVERNMENT [HB2373 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB2373-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 3465
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2373 Session of2010
INTRODUCED BY BRADFORD, JOSEPHS, FREEMAN, CALTAGIRONE, DeWEESE, GERGELY, LEVDANSKY, MANDERINO, MUNDY, PARKER, SANTARSIERO, SANTONI, SHAPIRO, SIPTROTH, M. SMITH AND R. TAYLOR, MARCH 25, 2010
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 25, 2010
AN ACT
Providing for election day registration; and prescribing
penalties.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions
Section 101. Short title.
Section 102. Definitions.
Chapter 3. Election Day Registration
Section 301. Election day registration.
Section 302. Procedure.
Section 303. Maps.
Section 304. Provisional ballots.
Section 305. Record of attempted registrations.
Section 306. Verification by mail.
Chapter 5. Enforcement and Penalties
Section 501. Prohibited acts.
Section 502. Enforcement.
Chapter 11. Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 1101. Construction of act.
Section 1102. Rules and regulations.
Section 1103. Repeals.
Section 1104. Applicability.
Section 1105. Effective date.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
CHAPTER 1
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
Section 101. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Same Day
Voter Registration Act.
Section 102. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Board" or "county board." The county board of elections.
"Department." The Department of State of the Commonwealth.
CHAPTER 3
ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION
Section 301. Election day registration.
(a) General rule.--Any person otherwise eligible to vote may
register to vote on the day of any primary, municipal or general
election by appearing in person at the polling place for the
election district in which the individual maintains residence,
completing a registration card, making an oath in the form
prescribed by the department and providing proof of residence.
(b) Proof of residence.--An individual may prove residence
by any of the following methods:
(1) By displaying a valid driver's license.
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(2) By showing any document approved by the department.
Section 302. Procedure.
(a) Judges of elections.--Voter registration under this act
shall be conducted by judges of elections. A judge who registers
an individual voter shall not process that voter's ballot at any
time prior to opening of the ballot box after the voting ends.
(b) Registration cards.--Registration cards and forms for
oaths shall be available at each polling place. Registration
cards completed on election day shall be forwarded to the
appropriate county board, which shall add the name of each voter
to the registration rolls unless the information forwarded is
substantially deficient. Each judge of elections registering a
person on election day shall initial the voter registration card
of that person.
(c) Deficient registration.--A county board that finds an
election day registration substantially deficient shall mail
written notice of same to the individual. An election day
registration shall not be found deficient solely because the
individual who provided proof of residence was ineligible to do
so.
Section 303. Maps.
The county board shall provide each polling place with a
detailed map showing election districts in order to assist
judges of elections in determining whether an address is located
in that district.
Section 304. Provisional ballots.
The county board shall provide each polling place with
provisional ballots for the purpose of allowing all voters
registered on the same day of the election to vote. The
provisional ballots shall be used in place of the regularly
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prescribed method of voting for the polling place for the voters
registered under this act. If the newly registered voter is
determined to be eligible to vote in the election, the ballot
shall be counted as part of the total vote. If the registration
is determined to be deficient, the ballot shall be discarded.
Section 305. Record of attempted registrations.
The judge of elections responsible for election day
registration at each polling place shall keep a record of the
number of individuals who attempt to register on election day
but who cannot provide proof of residence as required by this
act. This record shall be forwarded to the county board with the
election returns for that election district.
Section 306. Verification by mail.
Within ten days of an election, each county board shall send
a notice to all individuals registered on election day. If a
notice is returned as not deliverable, the board shall attempt
to determine the reason for the return. A county board which
does not receive or obtain satisfactory proof of an individual's
eligibility to vote shall immediately notify the district
attorney and the department.
CHAPTER 5
ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES
Section 501. Prohibited acts.
(a) Offenses enumerated.--It shall be unlawful:
(1) To cause an individual's name to be registered in
any election district if that individual is not eligible to
vote.
(2) To cause an individual's name to be registered for
the purpose of voting in more than one election district or
in any election district in which the individual does not
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maintain residence.
(3) To misrepresent an individual's identity when
attempting to register to vote.
(4) To aid, abet, counsel or procure any other
individual to violate this act.
(5) For a judge of elections to allow an unregistered
voter to vote in any election.
(b) Grading.--A violation of this section constitutes a
misdemeanor of the second degree.
Section 502. Enforcement.
Prosecution for violations of this act shall be brought by
the district attorney, upon information supplied by the
department, a county election officer or any person.
CHAPTER 11
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section 1101. Construction of act.
This act shall be construed as providing a procedure for
registration in addition to those methods as are provided by
law.
Section 1102. Rules and regulations.
The department shall, in the manner provided by law,
promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to carry out this
act.
Section 1103. Repeals.
All acts and parts of acts are repealed insofar as they are
inconsistent with this act.
Section 1104. Applicability.
This act shall apply to the municipal or general election
occurring in the year next following the year of final enactment
of this act, and to each primary, municipal and general election
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thereafter.
Section 1105. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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