“Today, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed House Bill 2626, a cynical attempt to create voter confusion and make it harder for Pennsylvanians to cast their ballot in November.  Every eligible voter should be able to choose whether to cast their vote by mail or in person without fearing for their safety or wondering if their vote will be counted.

Common Cause Pennsylvania strenuously opposes any legislation, including HB 2626, that would:

• Eliminate Drop Boxes. Drop boxes are a safe, secure, and convenient option for voters casting their ballot by mail. Over 1.5 million Pennsylvanians were able to cast a vote-by-mail ballot in the Primary election, and drop boxes were a critical part of the process.
• Allow Out-of-County Poll Watchers to Serve at any Polling place in the State. Poll watchers in Pennsylvania are representatives of candidates or parties who can challenge the right of any voter to cast a ballot. Having people from outside of the county have the authority to challenge voters’ eligibility is a clear threat to our voters and our Democracy.

Pennsylvania voters are facing an unprecedented election. It is more imperative than ever that voters have every option available to them to vote in a safe, secure and accessible manner. Our Pennsylvania General Assembly must not use our elections as a political football, to be used for partisan gain. Elections are not a partisan issue; they are a people issue.

While we acknowledge that this bill does provide some county administrative relief measures, including allowing for a three-day precanvass, there is no justification for the disenfranchisement of Pennsylvania’s voters.

No voter should have to choose between their health and casting their ballot this November. Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. It is critical that we work together to ensure that no Pennsylvania voter is disenfranchised in the November.

As this bill moves to the Senate next week for consideration, we urge the Senate to vote No.”