HB 1217 — An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions, repealing provisions relating to public funding of elections, providing for legislative authority over elections, establishing the Bureau of Election Audits and providing for special standing in challenges to the Election Code; in the Secretary of the Commonwealth, further providing for powers and duties of the Secretary of the Commonwealth and providing for reports on implementation of elections; in county boards of elections, further providing for powers and duties of county boards and providing for county boards of elections and satellite offices; in district election officers, further providing for district election boards and election, for qualifications of election officers, for tie votes for judge and inspector, for clerks of election and machine inspectors, for vacancies in election boards, appointment, judge and majority inspector to be members of majority party and minority inspector to be member of minority party, for election officers to be sworn, for oath of judge of election, for oaths of inspectors of election, for oaths of clerks of election, for oath of machine inspectors, for power of election officers to administer oaths, for compensation of district election officers and for appointment of watchers; in election districts and polling places, further providing for polling places to be selected by county board, for public buildings to be used where possible and portable polling places and for temporary polling places; providing for registration of electors; in ballots, further providing for form of official election ballot and for number of ballots to be printed and specimen ballots; in voting machines, further providing for examination and approval of voting machines by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, for requirements of voting machines, for preparation of voting machines by county election boards and for delivery of voting machines and supplies by county election boards to election officers; in electronic voting systems, further providing for experimental use of electronic voting systems and for statistical sample and providing for requirements of accessible voting machines and for voting system defects, disclosure, investigations and penalties; repealing provisions relating to voting apparatus bonds; providing for election equipment funding; in preparation for and conduct of primaries and elections, providing for voter's bill of rights, for senior voter's bill of rights and for disabled voter's bill of rights and further providing for delivery of ballots and supplies to judges of election, for time for opening and closing polls, for opening of polls, posting cards of instruction and notices of penalties and voters' rights and examination of voting machines, for manner of applying to vote, persons entitled to vote, voter's certificates, entries to be made in district register, numbered lists of voters and challenges, for assistance in voting and for deadline for receipt of valid voter registration application and providing for prohibitions; in voting by qualified absentee electors, further providing for applications for official absentee ballots, for date of application for absentee ballot, for delivering or mailing ballots and for voting by absentee electors, providing for supervised voting by qualified absentee electors in certain facilities and further providing for canvassing of official absentee ballots and mail-in ballots; in voting by qualified mail-in electors, further providing for applications for official mail-in ballots, for date of application for mail-in ballot, for delivering or mailing ballots and for voting by mail-in electors; in Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory Board, further providing for Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory Board; providing for early voting by qualified electors; in returns of primaries and elections, further providing for returns to be open to public inspection and exceptions and for computation of returns by county board, certification and issuance of certificates of election; repealing provisions relating to Election Integrity Grant Program; in recounts and contests, providing for powers and duties of the Attorney General relating to elections and for powers and duties of district attorneys relating to elections; in penalties, further providing for disobeying lawful instructions, for perjury, for false affidavits of candidates, for refusal to permit inspection of papers, destruction or removal and Secretary of the Commonwealth, for refusal to permit inspection of papers, destruction or removal and county boards of elections, for insertion and alteration of entries in documents, removal and refusal to deliver, for refusal to permit overseers, watchers, attorneys or candidates to act, for driving away watchers, attorneys, candidates or overseers, for refusal to permit election officers, clerks and machine inspectors to act and driving away said persons, for refusal to administer oath and acting without being sworn, for violation of oath of office by election officers, for peace officers, failure to render assistance and hindering or delaying county board members and others, for nomination petitions and papers and offenses by signers, for false signatures and statements in nomination petitions and papers, for nomination petitions, certificates and papers, destruction, fraudulent filing and suppression, for offenses by printers of ballots, for unlawful possession of ballots and counterfeiting ballots, for forging and destroying ballots, for tampering with voting machines, for destroying, defacing or removing notices, et cetera, for police officers at polling places, for peace officer, failure to quell disturbances at polls and hindering or delaying election officers and others, for election officers permitting unregistered electors to vote, challenges and refusing to permit qualified electors to vote, for election officers refusing to permit elector to vote in proper party at primaries, for frauds by election officers, for prying into ballots, for interference with primaries and elections, frauds and conspiracy, for persons interfering in other districts, for assault and battery at polls, for unlawful assistance in voting, for election officers permitting unlawful assistance, for failure to keep and return record of assisted voters, for unlawful voting, for elector voting ballot of wrong party at primary, for repeat voting at elections, for removing ballots, for commissioners to take soldiers' votes, for fraudulent voting by soldiers, for bribery at elections, for receipts and disbursements of primary and election expenses by persons other than candidates and treasurers, for receipts of primary and election expenses by unauthorized persons, for contributions by corporations or unincorporated associations, for failure to file expense account, for prohibiting duress and intimidation of voters and interference with the free exercise of the elective franchise, for failure to perform duty, for hindering or delaying performance of duty, for violation of any provision of act and for violations of provisions relating to absentee and mail-in ballots and repealing provisions relating to violation of public funding of elections and providing for unlawful collection of ballots and for prohibiting duress and intimidation of elections officials; providing for reimbursements and withholding; and making an appropriation and making a repeal.

PRINTER'S NO.   1365

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                      HOUSE BILL
                      No. 1217
                                             Session of
                                               2025

     INTRODUCED BY GROVE, CUTLER, STENDER, KAUFFMAN, ROWE, SMITH AND
        JAMES, APRIL 15, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 15, 2025


                                  AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled
 2      "An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,
 3      special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates,
 4      primary and election expenses and election contests; creating
 5      and defining membership of county boards of elections;
 6      imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
 7      courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners;
 8      imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying,
 9      revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and
10      repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to
11      elections," as follows:
12      in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions,
13          repealing provisions relating to public funding of
14          elections, providing for legislative authority over
15          elections, establishing the Bureau of Election Audits and
16          providing for special standing in challenges to the
17          Election Code;
18      in the Secretary of the Commonwealth, further providing for
19          powers and duties of the Secretary of the Commonwealth
20          and providing for reports on implementation of elections;
21      in county boards of elections, further providing for powers
22          and duties of county boards and providing for county
23          boards of elections and satellite offices;
24      in district election officers, further providing for district
25          election boards and election, for qualifications of
26          election officers, for tie votes for judge and inspector,
27          for clerks of election and machine inspectors, for
28          vacancies in election boards, appointment, judge and
29          majority inspector to be members of majority party and
30          minority inspector to be member of minority party, for
31          election officers to be sworn, for oath of judge of
 1        election, for oaths of inspectors of election, for oaths
 2        of clerks of election, for oath of machine inspectors,
 3        for power of election officers to administer oaths, for
 4        compensation of district election officers and for
 5        appointment of watchers;
 6    in election districts and polling places, further providing
 7        for polling places to be selected by county board, for
 8        public buildings to be used where possible and portable
 9        polling places and for temporary polling places;
10    providing for registration of electors;
11    in ballots, further providing for form of official election
12        ballot and for number of ballots to be printed and
13        specimen ballots;
14    in voting machines, further providing for examination and
15        approval of voting machines by the Secretary of the
16        Commonwealth, for requirements of voting machines, for
17        preparation of voting machines by county election boards
18        and for delivery of voting machines and supplies by
19        county election boards to election officers;
20    in electronic voting systems, further providing for
21        experimental use of electronic voting systems and for
22        statistical sample and providing for requirements of
23        accessible voting machines and for voting system defects,
24        disclosure, investigations and penalties;
25    repealing provisions relating to voting apparatus bonds;
26    providing for election equipment funding;
27    in preparation for and conduct of primaries and elections,
28        providing for voter's bill of rights, for senior voter's
29        bill of rights and for disabled voter's bill of rights
30        and further providing for delivery of ballots and
31        supplies to judges of election, for time for opening and
32        closing polls, for opening of polls, posting cards of
33        instruction and notices of penalties and voters' rights
34        and examination of voting machines, for manner of
35        applying to vote, persons entitled to vote, voter's
36        certificates, entries to be made in district register,
37        numbered lists of voters and challenges, for assistance
38        in voting and for deadline for receipt of valid voter
39        registration application and providing for prohibitions;
40    in voting by qualified absentee electors, further providing
41        for applications for official absentee ballots, for date
42        of application for absentee ballot, for delivering or
43        mailing ballots and for voting by absentee electors,
44        providing for supervised voting by qualified absentee
45        electors in certain facilities and further providing for
46        canvassing of official absentee ballots and mail-in
47        ballots;
48    in voting by qualified mail-in electors, further providing
49        for applications for official mail-in ballots, for date
50        of application for mail-in ballot, for delivering or
51        mailing ballots and for voting by mail-in electors;

20250HB1217PN1365               - 2 -
 1    in Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory Board, further
 2        providing for Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory Board;
 3    providing for early voting by qualified electors;
 4    in returns of primaries and elections, further providing for
 5        returns to be open to public inspection and exceptions
 6        and for computation of returns by county board,
 7        certification and issuance of certificates of election;
 8    repealing provisions relating to Election Integrity Grant
 9        Program;
10    in recounts and contests, providing for powers and duties of
11        the Attorney General relating to elections and for powers
12        and duties of district attorneys relating to elections;
13    in penalties, further providing for disobeying lawful
14        instructions, for perjury, for false affidavits of
15        candidates, for refusal to permit inspection of papers,
16        destruction or removal and Secretary of the Commonwealth,
17        for refusal to permit inspection of papers, destruction
18        or removal and county boards of elections, for insertion
19        and alteration of entries in documents, removal and
20        refusal to deliver, for refusal to permit overseers,
21        watchers, attorneys or candidates to act, for driving
22        away watchers, attorneys, candidates or overseers, for
23        refusal to permit election officers, clerks and machine
24        inspectors to act and driving away said persons, for
25        refusal to administer oath and acting without being
26        sworn, for violation of oath of office by election
27        officers, for peace officers, failure to render
28        assistance and hindering or delaying county board members
29        and others, for nomination petitions and papers and
30        offenses by signers, for false signatures and statements
31        in nomination petitions and papers, for nomination
32        petitions, certificates and papers, destruction,
33        fraudulent filing and suppression, for offenses by
34        printers of ballots, for unlawful possession of ballots
35        and counterfeiting ballots, for forging and destroying
36        ballots, for tampering with voting machines, for
37        destroying, defacing or removing notices, et cetera, for
38        police officers at polling places, for peace officer,
39        failure to quell disturbances at polls and hindering or
40        delaying election officers and others, for election
41        officers permitting unregistered electors to vote,
42        challenges and refusing to permit qualified electors to
43        vote, for election officers refusing to permit elector to
44        vote in proper party at primaries, for frauds by election
45        officers, for prying into ballots, for interference with
46        primaries and elections, frauds and conspiracy, for
47        persons interfering in other districts, for assault and
48        battery at polls, for unlawful assistance in voting, for
49        election officers permitting unlawful assistance, for
50        failure to keep and return record of assisted voters, for
51        unlawful voting, for elector voting ballot of wrong party

20250HB1217PN1365               - 3 -
 1          at primary, for repeat voting at elections, for removing
 2          ballots, for commissioners to take soldiers' votes, for
 3          fraudulent voting by soldiers, for bribery at elections,
 4          for receipts and disbursements of primary and election
 5          expenses by persons other than candidates and treasurers,
 6          for receipts of primary and election expenses by
 7          unauthorized persons, for contributions by corporations
 8          or unincorporated associations, for failure to file
 9          expense account, for prohibiting duress and intimidation
10          of voters and interference with the free exercise of the
11          elective franchise, for failure to perform duty, for
12          hindering or delaying performance of duty, for violation
13          of any provision of act and for violations of provisions
14          relating to absentee and mail-in ballots and repealing
15          provisions relating to violation of public funding of
16          elections and providing for unlawful collection of
17          ballots and for prohibiting duress and intimidation of
18          elections officials;
19      providing for reimbursements and withholding; and
20      making an appropriation and making a repeal.
21      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
22   hereby enacts as follows:
23      Section 1.   Section 102(e) and (z.5) of the act of June 3,
24   1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election
25   Code, are amended and the section is amended by adding
26   subsections to read:
27      Section 102.   Definitions.--The following words, when used in
28   this act, shall have the following meanings, unless otherwise
29   clearly apparent from the context:
30      * * *
31      (e)    The words "district register" shall mean the [cards]
32   electronic poll book containing all or any part of the registry
33   list of qualified electors of the same election district, as
34   prepared by the registration commissions.
35      * * *
36      (z.5)   The words "proof of identification" shall mean:
37      [(1)    In the case of an elector who has a religious objection
38   to being photographed, a valid-without-photo driver's license or


20250HB1217PN1365                   - 4 -
 1   a valid-without-photo identification card issued by the
 2   Department of Transportation.
 3      (2)    For an elector who appears to vote under section 1210, a
 4   document that:
 5      (i)    shows the name of the individual to whom the document
 6   was issued and the name substantially conforms to the name of
 7   the individual as it appears in the district register;
 8      (ii)    shows a photograph of the individual to whom the
 9   document was issued;
10      (iii)    includes an expiration date and is not expired,
11   except:
12      (A)    for a document issued by the Department of
13   Transportation which is not more than twelve (12) months past
14   the expiration date; or
15      (B)    in the case of a document from an agency of the Armed
16   forces of the United States or their reserve components,
17   including the Pennsylvania National Guard, establishing that the
18   elector is a current member of or a veteran of the United States
19   Armed Forces or National Guard which does not designate a
20   specific date on which the document expires, but includes a
21   designation that the expiration date is indefinite; and
22      (iv)    was issued by one of the following:
23      (A)    The United States Government.
24      (B)    The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
25      (C)    A municipality of this Commonwealth to an employee of
26   that municipality.
27      (D)    An accredited Pennsylvania public or private institution
28   of higher learning.
29      (E)    A Pennsylvania care facility.
30      (3)    For a qualified absentee elector under section 1301 or a

20250HB1217PN1365                    - 5 -
 1   qualified mail-in elector under section 1301-D:
 2      (i)    in the case of an elector who has been issued a current
 3   and valid driver's license, the elector's driver's license
 4   number;
 5      (ii)    in the case of an elector who has not been issued a
 6   current and valid driver's license, the last four digits of the
 7   elector's Social Security number;
 8      (iii)     in the case of an elector who has a religious
 9   objection to being photographed, a copy of a document that
10   satisfies paragraph (1); or
11      (iv)    in the case of an elector who has not been issued a
12   current and valid driver's license or Social Security number, a
13   copy of a document that satisfies paragraph (2).]
14      (1)    In the case of any elector, at least one of the
15   following:
16      (i)    the elector's driver's license;
17      (ii)    in the case of an elector who has a religious objection
18   to being photographed, a copy of a valid-without-photo driver's
19   license or a valid-without-photo identification card issued by
20   the Department of Transportation;
21      (iii)     the elector's voter registration card with scannable
22   identification number and a copy of the elector's signature, as
23   issued by a county under section 302;
24      (iv)    a document from an agency of the armed forces of the
25   United States or their reserve components, including the
26   Pennsylvania National Guard, establishing that the elector is a
27   current member of or a veteran of the United States Armed Forces
28   or National Guard which does not designate a specific date on
29   which the document expires, but includes a designation that that
30   expiration date is indefinite;

20250HB1217PN1365                    - 6 -
 1      (v)    a document issued by the secretary under section 201(n);
 2      (vi)    an affidavit provided to an elector by elections
 3   officers, on which the elector shall affirm his or her identity,
 4   including his or her signature and the last four digits of his
 5   or her Social Security number. The affidavit shall include
 6   disclosure of the penalties under section 1802; or
 7      (vii)     a document that shows the name and photograph of the
 8   individual to whom the document was issued, includes an
 9   expiration date and is not expired and is issued by one of the
10   following:
11      (A)    The United States Government.
12      (B)    The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
13      (C)    A municipality of this Commonwealth to an employee of
14   that municipality.
15      (D)    An accredited public or private institution of higher
16   learning located in this Commonwealth.
17      (E)    A care facility located in this Commonwealth.
18      (2)    (Reserved).
19      * * *
20      (z.7)     The words "ballot-comparison risk-limiting audit"
21   shall mean a statistical audit that compares the interpretation
22   of individual ballots according to the voting system to a human
23   interpretation of the same individual ballots.
24      (z.8)     The words "risk limit" shall mean the maximum chance
25   that an audit will not progress to a full hand recount if the
26   voting system record is incorrect.
27      (z.9)     The words "ballot-polling risk-limiting audit" shall
28   mean a statistical audit that selects ballots at random and
29   interprets the ballots by hand until there is strong evidence
30   that the recorded outcome in an election is correct, or until

20250HB1217PN1365                    - 7 -
 1   all the votes have been counted by hand.
 2         (z.10)   The words "care facility" shall mean any of the
 3   following:
 4         (1)   A long-term care nursing facility as defined in section
 5   802.1 of the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the
 6   "Health Care Facilities Act."
 7         (2)   An assisted living residence or a personal care home as
 8   defined in section 1001 of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31,
 9   No.21), known as the "Human Services Code."
10         Section 2.   Section 107 of the act is repealed:
11         [Section 107.   Public Funding of Elections.--(a)   The cost
12   and expense to State and local governments relating to the
13   registration of voters and the preparation, administration and
14   conduct of elections in this Commonwealth shall be funded only
15   upon lawful appropriation of the Federal, State and local
16   governments, and the source of funding shall be limited to money
17   derived from taxes, fees and other sources of public revenue.
18         (b)   State and local governments, including their public
19   officers, public officials, employees and agents, acting in
20   their official capacity, may not solicit, apply for, enter into
21   a contract for or receive or expend gifts, donations, grants or
22   funding from any individual, business, organization, trust,
23   foundation, or any nongovernmental entity for the registration
24   of voters or the preparation, administration or conducting of an
25   election in this Commonwealth.
26         (c)   This section shall not be construed to apply to the
27   collection of fees authorized by law or to the donation or use
28   of:
29         (1)   a location for voting purposes;
30         (2)   services that are provided without remuneration; or

20250HB1217PN1365                     - 8 -
 1      (3)   goods that have a nominal value of less than one hundred
 2   ($100) dollars.]
 3      Section 3.   The act is amended by adding sections to read:
 4      Section 108.    Legislative Authority Over Elections.--Section
 5   5 of Article I of the Constitution of the United States and
 6   Article VII of the Constitution of Pennsylvania vest authority
 7   for prescribing election law in the General Assembly.
 8      Section 109.    Bureau of Election Audits.--(a)   The Bureau of
 9   Election Audits is established in the Department of the Auditor
10   General. The Bureau of Election Audits shall have subpoena power
11   to request from the department or a county any documents,
12   records, papers, data, ballots, election materials or testimony
13   necessary for the efficient completion of the audits required
14   under this section.
15      (b)   The Auditor General shall conduct independent election
16   audits in accordance with generally accepted governmental audit
17   standards and appropriate service organization control standards
18   and shall ensure that the audit methodology will verify the
19   accuracy of the election and the accuracy of election equipment
20   used.
21      (c)   For audits that occur during an election year in which
22   the Auditor General stands for election, the Auditor General
23   shall appoint an independent special auditor who shall be a
24   licensed certified public accountant and shall have experience
25   in completing election audits to oversee the operation of the
26   Bureau of Election Audits.
27      (d)   The Bureau of Election Audits shall ensure continuous
28   improvement of the election audits required under this section
29   to ensure the accuracy of election results and compliance with
30   Federal and State laws.

20250HB1217PN1365                   - 9 -
 1      (e)     The duties of the Bureau of Election Audits shall
 2   include:
 3      (1)     Except if a full manual recount of an election is
 4   undertaken or an election is uncontested, to conduct result-
 5   confirming audits of each election in this Commonwealth,
 6   completed by the third Friday following the election. The audits
 7   shall include:
 8      (i)     A statistically sound, ballot-comparison risk-limiting
 9   audit or ballot-polling risk-limiting audit of ballots for an
10   election, as provided under section 1117-A, unless a full manual
11   recount of the election is conducted.
12      (ii)     An audit of election machine logs.
13      (iii)     An audit of the returned absentee and mail-in ballots
14   in each county, including a comparison of retained envelopes on
15   which the executed declarations appear, for mail-in and absentee
16   ballots, secrecy envelopes and the total number of absentee and
17   mail-in ballots canvassed.
18      (iv)     An audit comparing each canvassed and retained paper
19   ballot in each county with the number of votes recorded.
20      (v)     An audit of the pre-election testing of election
21   equipment conducted by each county.
22      (vi)     Any other audit deemed necessary by the Bureau of
23   Election Audits to ensure public trust in the outcome of each
24   election.
25      (2)     To conduct performance audits of the operations of
26   elections systems and processes at least once every five years.
27   The audits shall include:
28      (i)     An audit of each county election office in this
29   Commonwealth.
30      (ii)     An audit of the Department of State's election

20250HB1217PN1365                    - 10 -
 1   equipment certification process.
 2      (iii)     An audit of the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors
 3   system, including an audit of the accuracy of the list of
 4   registered electors.
 5      (iv)     An audit of the Department of State's administration of
 6   elections.
 7      (v)     Any other audit deemed necessary by the Bureau of
 8   Election Audits to ensure public trust in the election
 9   administration in this Commonwealth.
10      (3)     To publicly post audit methodologies for each of the
11   audits required under this section, including on the Auditor
12   General's publicly accessible Internet website and the
13   Department of State's publicly accessible Internet website.
14      (4)     To publicly post the results of each audit required
15   under this section, including on the Auditor General's publicly
16   accessible Internet website, the Department of State's publicly
17   accessible Internet website and each county's publicly
18   accessible Internet website.
19      (5)     To monitor corrective action plans developed by entities
20   audited under this section, ensuring that the corrective action
21   plan addresses deficiencies identified by an audit and that the
22   plan is successfully executed to remediate deficiencies.
23      (f)     The duties of the county board of elections shall
24   include:
25      (1)     Cooperating with the Bureau of Election Audits to enable
26   efficient conduct of audits required under subsection (d).
27      (2)     Cooperating with the Bureau of Election Audits to post
28   the results of audits conducted in that county as required under
29   subsection (e)(4).
30      (3)     Holding a public meeting between the third Saturday

20250HB1217PN1365                    - 11 -
 1   after an election and the fourth Thursday after an election, at
 2   which the board shall make publicly available to the residents
 3   of the county the results of audits conducted under subsection
 4   (d).
 5      (4)    Submitting to the Department of State, along with the
 6   certified results of the election, a report with the results of
 7   the audits conducted under subsection (e)(3). The report shall
 8   include the following:
 9      (i)    The overall accuracy of election results as confirmed by
10   the audits under subsection (e)(3).
11      (ii)    A description of any problem or discrepancies
12   encountered in the administration of the election.
13      (iii)    The identified causes of any problems or
14   discrepancies.
15      (5)    Submitting to the Department of State, within ninety
16   (90) days after any election, recommended corrective actions
17   with respect to avoiding or mitigating any problems or
18   discrepancies in future elections.
19      (6)    Developing a corrective action plan to address any
20   findings of error or deficiency within an audit conducted under
21   this section.
22      (g)    The duties of the Department of State shall include:
23      (1)    Cooperating with the Bureau of Election Audits to enable
24   efficient conduct of each audit required under subsection (e).
25      (2)    Cooperating with the Bureau of Election Audits to post
26   the methodologies and results of audits conducted in this
27   Commonwealth as required under subsection (e)(3) and (4).
28      (3)    To develop a corrective action plan to address any
29   findings of error or deficiency within an audit conducted under
30   this section.

20250HB1217PN1365                   - 12 -
 1      Section 110.    Special Standing in Challenges to the Election
 2   Code.--(a)   In a judicial proceeding in which all or part of
 3   this act is alleged to be unconstitutional, either or both
 4   chambers of the General Assembly, subject to subsection (b),
 5   shall have special standing to intervene as a party in the
 6   action and to defend the act.
 7      (b)   The following shall apply:
 8      (1)   Special standing to intervene as a party under
 9   subsection (a) for the Senate shall require an action of the
10   Senate Subcommittee on Management Operation as provided under
11   section 2.1 of the act of January 10, 1968 (1967 P.L.925,
12   No.417), referred to as the "Legislative Officers and Employes
13   Law."
14      (2)   Special standing to intervene as a party under
15   subsection (a) for the House of Representatives shall require a
16   majority vote by the House of Representatives.
17      (c)   Intervention by either or both chambers of the General
18   Assembly under this section shall not constitute a waiver of
19   sovereign immunity, legislative privilege or other privilege or
20   immunity.
21      (d)   This section shall not make either or both chambers of
22   the General Assembly a necessary or indispensable party to an
23   action. A party to an action may not name either or both
24   chambers of the General Assembly as a party or move to join
25   either or both chambers of the General Assembly as a party based
26   on this section.
27      (e)   Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the
28   standing of either or both chambers or an individual member of
29   the General Assembly in a judicial proceeding in which the
30   subject matter relates to specific powers unique to a

20250HB1217PN1365                    - 13 -
 1   legislator's functions under the Constitution of Pennsylvania
 2   being diminished or impaired.
 3      Section 4.   Section 201(f), (f.1) and (g) of the act are
 4   amended and the section is amended by adding subsections to
 5   read:
 6      Section 201.   Powers and Duties of the Secretary of the
 7   Commonwealth.--The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall exercise
 8   in the manner provided by this act all powers granted to him by
 9   this act, and shall perform all the duties imposed upon him by
10   this act, which shall include the following:
11      * * *
12      (f)   To receive from county boards of elections the returns
13   of primaries and elections, to canvass and compute the votes
14   cast for candidates and upon questions as required by the
15   provisions of this act; to proclaim the results of such
16   primaries and elections within three days after receipt of
17   returns from all counties, and to issue certificates of election
18   to the successful candidates at such elections, except in cases
19   where that duty is imposed by law on another officer or board.
20      [(f.1)   To develop a voluntary professional certification and
21   poll worker training program for county election officials in
22   consultation with county boards of elections.]
23      * * *
24      (g)   To perform only such other duties relating to elections
25   as [may be prescribed by law.] authorized by this act or by 25
26   Pa.C.S. (relating to elections). Any actions or duties relating
27   to elections not explicitly authorized by this act or by 25
28   Pa.C.S. are prohibited.
29      * * *
30      (i)   To obtain and maintain uniformity in the interpretation

20250HB1217PN1365                    - 14 -
 1   and implementation of election laws.
 2      (j)     To provide uniform standards for the proper, accurate
 3   and uniform implementation of voter registration laws and
 4   records.
 5      (k)     To actively seek out and collect the data and statistics
 6   necessary to knowledgeably scrutinize the effectiveness of
 7   election laws.
 8      (l)     To provide technical assistance to election directors.
 9      (m)     To maintain a hotline for the reporting of any known or
10   suspected election fraud or intimidation or duress of poll
11   workers, judges of elections, election officials or election
12   observers, and to provide election fraud education to the
13   public.
14      (n)     To provide to any registered elector upon request, and
15   free of charge, a durable photo identification card which may be
16   used for the purposes of voting.
17      (o)     To transmit to the Legislative Reference Bureau for
18   publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin by December 31 of each
19   odd-numbered year the official instructions and procedures
20   manual prescribed by the Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory
21   Board.
22      (p)     To receive any private donations intended to contribute
23   to election administration or voter education in this
24   Commonwealth, and to distribute the funds, or any public funds
25   used for the purposes of voter education, equally across this
26   Commonwealth based upon the most recent census estimate of
27   citizen voting age population. A distribution of private funds
28   must be approved by the Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory
29   Board.
30      (q)     To maintain a publicly accessible Internet website using

20250HB1217PN1365                    - 15 -
 1   a .gov domain name, on which the secretary shall post
 2   information required by this act. The website shall additionally
 3   adhere to generally accepted accessibility standards, including
 4   compatibility with screen reading software.
 5      (r)   To retain and make publicly available any communications
 6   relating to election administration and sent between the
 7   department and at least three county election directors.
 8      (s)   To develop a uniform application for registered electors
 9   to update their signature of record or to provide a medical
10   doctor's assessment of signature inconsistency due to a medical
11   condition.
12      (t)   To cooperate with an independent prosecutor appointed by
13   the Attorney General for each election cycle to review election
14   complaints received by the secretary and the county boards of
15   elections.
16      (u)   To publish on the department's publicly accessible
17   Internet website the list of registered electors in each county
18   and Statewide, at least five days prior to an election.
19      (v)   To reimburse counties for the cost of annual training
20   required under section 1302-E.
21      (w)   To create and publish, prior to the proclamation of
22   results in a primary or election, a combined record of the
23   registered electors in this Commonwealth as of the date of the
24   primary or election, together with the record of participation
25   in the primary or election by each registered elector, submitted
26   by counties under this act. The record shall be published on the
27   department's publicly accessible Internet website, made
28   available upon request to any elector and retained for a period
29   of five years. A physical copy of the record required under this
30   subsection must be created, dated and retained for a period of

20250HB1217PN1365                  - 16 -
 1   five years.
 2      (x)   In addition to the requirements of 25 Pa.C.S. Ch. 15
 3   (relating to changes in records), to seek a record of all deaths
 4   among residents of this Commonwealth, and each month to compare
 5   the records with the list of electors in the Statewide Uniform
 6   Registry of Electors, and for any elector found to be deceased,
 7   to notify the elector's county of residence.
 8      (y)   In addition to the requirements of 25 Pa.C.S. Ch. 15, to
 9   fully participate in the Electronic Registration Information
10   Center and to utilize all available information received through
11   that system and through the National Change of Address Program
12   of the United States Postal Service to ensure the accuracy of
13   the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors and the continued
14   eligibility of all registered electors in this Commonwealth.
15      (z)   To receive from counties a monthly report of any newly
16   registered elector who was previously registered in another
17   state and to notify the chief elections administrator in that
18   state of the elector's registration in this Commonwealth.
19      (z.1)   To create and maintain a tracking system for each
20   qualified mail-in or absentee elector to track the status of an
21   application for a mail-in or absentee ballot, the date on which
22   an elector's ballot is prepared, the date on which an elector's
23   ballot is mailed, the date on which an elector's ballot is
24   received and the date on which an elector's ballot is pre-
25   canvassed or canvassed.
26      (z.2)   To develop and offer the training prescribed by the
27   Election Law Advisory Board under section 1302-E, and to make
28   such training available free of charge to any individual
29   required to complete the training.
30      Section 5.   The act is amended by adding a section to read:

20250HB1217PN1365                  - 17 -
 1      Section 209.     Reports on Implementation of Elections.--(a)
 2   No later than 75 days after an election, the Bureau of
 3   Commissions, Elections and Legislation of the Department of
 4   State shall issue a report to the chair and minority chair of
 5   the State Government Committee of the Senate and the chair and
 6   minority chair of the State Government Committee of the House of
 7   Representatives. A copy of the report shall also be made
 8   available on the Department of State's publicly accessible
 9   Internet website.
10      (b)   The report under subsection (a) shall include only the
11   following information relating to the administration of the
12   election by the Department of State, a county board of elections
13   or a registration commission established under 25 Pa.C.S. §
14   1203(a) (relating to commissions):
15      (1)   For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
16   number of applications for an absentee ballot which were
17   received by the county board of elections.
18      (2)   For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
19   number of applications for a mail-in ballot which were received
20   by the county board of elections.
21      (3)   For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
22   number of applications for an absentee ballot which were
23   approved by the county board of elections.
24      (4)   For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
25   number of applications for a mail-in ballot which were approved
26   by the county board of elections.
27      (5)   For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
28   number of absentee ballots which were voted by qualified
29   electors.
30      (6)   For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the

20250HB1217PN1365                    - 18 -
 1   number of mail-in ballots which were voted by qualified
 2   electors.
 3      (7)    For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
 4   number of provisional ballots cast under section 1210(a.4).
 5      (8)    For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
 6   number of qualified electors voting by a provisional ballot
 7   under section 1306(b)(2).
 8      (9)    For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
 9   number of qualified electors voting by provisional ballot under
10   section 1306-D(b)(2).
11      (10)     For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
12   number of provisional ballots under paragraph (7) which were
13   canvassed.
14      (11)     For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
15   number of provisional ballots under paragraph (8) which were
16   canvassed.
17      (12)     For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
18   number of provisional ballots under paragraph (9) which were
19   canvassed.
20      (13)     (Reserved).
21      (14)     For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
22   number of polling places in school buildings.
23      (15)     For each county, the date, starting time and ending
24   time that the county board of elections met to pre-canvass
25   absentee ballots and mail-in ballots under section 1308(g)(1.1).
26      (16)     For each county, the date, starting time and ending
27   time that the county board of elections met to canvass absentee
28   ballots and mail-in ballots under section 1308(g)(2).
29      (17)     For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
30   number of absentee ballots which were challenged under section

20250HB1217PN1365                    - 19 -
 1   1302.2(c).
 2      (18)    For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
 3   number of mail-in ballots which were challenged under this act.
 4      (19)    For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
 5   number of absentee ballots subject to challenges under paragraph
 6   (17) which were not canvassed.
 7      (20)    For each county and the sum for this Commonwealth, the
 8   number of mail-in ballots subject to challenges under paragraph
 9   (18) which were not canvassed.
10      (21)    The number of incidents known to the Department of
11   State, county boards of elections or registration commissions
12   relating to each of the following categories:
13      (i)    An absentee ballot or mail-in ballot which was sent to
14   the wrong individual or wrong address.
15      (ii)    An absentee ballot or mail-in ballot which was voted by
16   an individual other than the individual who applied for the
17   absentee ballot or mail-in ballot.
18      (iii)     An absentee ballot or mail-in ballot which was
19   returned to the county board of elections by a means other than
20   permitted by law.
21      (22)    To the extent consistent with Federal and State law, a
22   review of any action taken by the Department of State, county
23   board of elections or registration commissions in response to an
24   incident under paragraph (21), including determinations made on
25   the incident, legal actions filed and referrals to law
26   enforcement.
27      (23)    A review of issues or incidents encountered with an
28   electronic voting system that received the approval of the
29   Secretary of the Commonwealth under section 1105-A, including
30   technical issues encountered at polling places.

20250HB1217PN1365                    - 20 -
 1      (c)   The Department of State shall develop a process to
 2   collect data required to be included in the report under
 3   subsection (b) from each county board of elections which
 4   conducts an election and each registration commission under 25
 5   Pa.C.S. Pt. IV (relating to voter registration) in a county
 6   which conducts an election, as applicable. A county board of
 7   elections or registration commission under this subsection shall
 8   comply with the process for submission of data under this
 9   subsection no later than 60 days after an election.
10      Section 6.   Section 302(f), (k) and (m) of the act are
11   amended and the section is amended by adding subsections to
12   read:
13      Section 302.   Powers and Duties of County Boards.--The county
14   boards of elections, within their respective counties, shall
15   exercise, in the manner provided by this act, all powers granted
16   to them by this act, and shall perform all the duties imposed
17   upon them by this act, which shall include the following:
18      * * *
19      (f)   [To make and issue such rules, regulations and
20   instructions, not inconsistent with law, as they may deem
21   necessary for the guidance of voting machine custodians,
22   elections officers and electors.] To follow and obey rules,
23   regulations and instructions as are included for each election
24   in the manual of operations published under section 201. Any
25   actions or duties relating to elections not explicitly
26   authorized by this act or by 25 Pa.C.S. (relating to elections)
27   or by the manual of operations published under section 201 are
28   prohibited.
29      * * *
30      (k)   To receive from district election officers the returns

20250HB1217PN1365                  - 21 -
 1   of all primaries and elections, to canvass and compute the same,
 2   and to certify, no later than the [third Monday] fourth Friday
 3   following the primary or election, the results thereof to the
 4   Secretary of the Commonwealth, as may be provided by law, and to
 5   such other authorities as may be provided by law. The
 6   certification shall include the number of votes received in each
 7   election district by each candidate for the General Assembly[.]
 8   and a complete record of each registered elector in the county
 9   on the date of the election, including which registered electors
10   are recorded as participating in that election and the article
11   of this act under which each elector voted.
12      * * *
13      (m)   To prepare and submit, [not later than five days prior
14   to] within twenty days after the last day to register to vote in
15   each primary, municipal and general election, a report to the
16   Secretary of the Commonwealth in the form prescribed by him,
17   which shall contain a statement of the total number of electors
18   registered in each election district, together with a breakdown
19   of registration by each political party or other designation.
20   Copies of said statement shall be furnished, upon request, to
21   the county chairman of each political party and political
22   body[.] and shall be posted to the county board of election's
23   publicly accessible Internet website. The Secretary of the
24   Commonwealth shall forthwith submit such information to the
25   Legislative Data Processing Center and shall publicly report the
26   total number of registered electors for each political party or
27   other designation in each county [prior to election day.] not
28   later than five days prior to the primary, municipal or general
29   election.
30      * * *

20250HB1217PN1365                  - 22 -
 1      (q)   To maintain a publicly accessible Internet website using
 2   a .gov domain name. The website shall additionally adhere to
 3   generally accepted accessibility standards, including
 4   compatibility with screen reading software.
 5      (r)   To decline to accept any private donation or
 6   contribution for the purposes of operating elections, employing
 7   staff or selecting and equipping a polling place or for use in
 8   voter education, unless received from the secretary under a
 9   distribution provided for in section 201(p).
10      (s)   To provide to each registered elector in a county,
11   within one year of the effective date of this subsection and
12   upon new or updated registration after the effective date of
13   this subsection, or at the request of an elector, a durable
14   voter registration card, including a scannable identification
15   code and a likeness of a registered elector's signature. A
16   county board of elections shall investigate the circumstances of
17   any registration card returned as undeliverable by the United
18   States Postal Service. The investigation shall include
19   contacting the applicant, further attempts to have his or her
20   registration card delivered and the correction or
21   reconsideration of his or her registration status and registered
22   address, if they are found to be incorrect.
23      (t)   To capture and store signatures submitted by an elector
24   for use in matching an elector's signature under the
25   requirements of this act.
26      (u)   To implement the minimum voter education standards
27   established under section 1302-E and to conduct additional
28   nonpartisan education efforts as necessary to ensure that
29   electors have a working knowledge of the voting process.
30      (v)   To report to the Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory

20250HB1217PN1365                  - 23 -
 1   Board, by December 31 of each general election year, a detailed
 2   description of the voter education programs implemented and any
 3   other information that may be useful in evaluating the
 4   effectiveness of voter education.
 5      (w)   To purchase electronic poll books for use as the
 6   district register in each election district within one year
 7   after the effective date of this subsection. The electronic poll
 8   books must provide an elector with the ability to scan his or
 9   her driver's license or his or her voter registration card in
10   order to have his or her eligibility to vote verified, and must
11   have a means for an elector to electronically record his or her
12   signature. Notwithstanding any other provision of this act, for
13   elections held within one year of the effective date of this
14   subsection, paper district register cards may still be utilized
15   by any county. After the purchase of electronic poll books,
16   paper district register cards may be retained for use in the
17   event of an unforeseen issue in using electronic poll books at
18   an election.
19      (x)   To provide each election district with at least one
20   accessible voting machine approved by the secretary under this
21   act.
22      (y)   To publish at each polling place the voter's bill of
23   rights, senior voter's bill of rights and disabled voter's bill
24   of rights established by this act.
25      (z)   To provide copies of the voter's bill of rights, senior
26   voter's bill of rights and disabled voter's bill of rights
27   during the process of supervised voting established by this act.
28      (z.1)   To review any polling place where voters waited longer
29   than 30 minutes to cast a ballot and to identify and enact plans
30   to alleviate any such waiting time for future elections.

20250HB1217PN1365                  - 24 -
 1      (z.2)   For counties with a population of fewer than 100,000
 2   at the time of the most recent Federal decennial census, to
 3   collaborate with other counties to share resources or property
 4   required for the administration of voting by absentee and mail-
 5   in electors. The collaboration is not required and participation
 6   in any resource sharing shall be at the discretion of each
 7   county board.
 8      (z.3)   In addition to the requirements of 25 Pa.C.S. Ch. 15
 9   (relating to changes in records), to seek a record of all deaths
10   among residents of the county and each month to compare the
11   records with the list of registered electors in the county. A
12   registered elector whose first and last name, date of birth and
13   last four digits of the elector's Social Security number are
14   found on a death record shall be subject to immediate removal
15   from the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors. The local
16   commission shall notify the elector by mail of its action.
17      (z.4)   To enter into an agreement with the Unified Judicial
18   System of Pennsylvania to receive a record of any county
19   resident who claims ineligibility for service as a juror under
20   42 Pa.C.S. § 4502 (relating to qualifications of jurors) and to
21   investigate the registration status of any registered elector
22   who claimed ineligibility to serve as a juror on the basis of a
23   lack of citizenship.
24      (z.5)   To cooperate with the Department of State to any
25   degree necessary in the creation of the system required under
26   section 201(z.1).
27      (z.6)   To cooperate with the election integrity officer
28   appointed in the county under section 1779, and to include the
29   election integrity officer in all correspondence related to the
30   conduct of the election.

20250HB1217PN1365                  - 25 -
 1      (z.7)     As follows:
 2      (1)     To pre-canvass or canvass all mail-in and absentee
 3   ballots received prior to election day by no later than nine o'
 4   clock P. M. on election day.
 5      (2)     To canvass all mail-in and absentee ballots received on
 6   election day and prior to eight o'clock P. M. by no later than
 7   two o'clock A. M. on the day following the election.
 8      (3)     To compute all returns from each precinct, with the
 9   exception of provisional ballots, and all canvassed mail-in or
10   absentee ballots, with the exception of ballots set aside for a
11   determination of compliance with this act, by no later than six
12   o'clock A. M. on the day following the election.
13      (4)     A county may receive no reimbursements under this act
14   for an election in which the deadlines under this subsection are
15   not met.
16      (5)     Ballots returned by qualified absentee military or
17   overseas electors shall not be subject to the deadlines in this
18   subsection.
19      Section 7.     The act is amended by adding a section to read:
20      Section 313.     County Boards of Elections and Satellite
21   Offices.--In addition to the permanent offices operated by any
22   county board of elections, the board may, as necessary,
23   establish additional satellite election offices if the satellite
24   election office established under this section complies with the
25   following requirements:
26      (a)     A satellite election office must meet the requirements
27   for and be subject to the same restrictions as a polling place
28   under this act.
29      (b)     A satellite election office must offer the same services
30   and capabilities as the permanent offices maintained by the

20250HB1217PN1365                    - 26 -
 1   county board of elections.
 2      (c)    A satellite election office must be operated by paid
 3   staff of the county board of elections.
 4      (d)    A board establishing satellite election offices must
 5   ensure that the locations of the offices are geographically
 6   distributed across the county.
 7      (e)    A satellite election office must be established within a
 8   permanent building. For purposes of this section, a permanent
 9   building is any existing structure not temporarily erected for
10   use as a satellite election office.
11      (f)    The location and hours of operation of a satellite
12   election office shall be published under section 106 at least 30
13   days prior to its establishment.
14      (g)    After the establishment of in-person early voting under
15   Article XIII-F, a satellite election office may only be
16   established at the same premises as early voting locations in a
17   county.
18      Section 8.    Sections 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408,
19   409, 410, 411, 412.2, 417(b), 526, 527 and 528 of the act are
20   amended to read:
21      Section 401.    District Election Boards; Election.--(a)    All
22   primaries and elections shall be conducted in each election
23   district by a district election board consisting of a judge of
24   election, a majority inspector of election and a minority
25   inspector of election, assisted by two clerks and machine
26   inspectors [in certain cases, as hereinafter provided] as
27   provided in this act. The judge and inspectors of election of
28   each election district shall be elected [by the electors
29   thereof] at the municipal election[,] and shall hold office for
30   a term of four years from the first Monday of January next

20250HB1217PN1365                   - 27 -
 1   succeeding [their] the election. Each elector may vote for one
 2   [person] individual as judge and for one [person] individual as
 3   inspector[, and the person]. The individual receiving the
 4   highest number of votes for judge shall be declared elected
 5   judge of election, the [person] individual receiving the highest
 6   number of votes for inspector shall be declared elected majority
 7   inspector of election[, and the person] and the individual
 8   receiving the second highest number of votes for inspector shall
 9   be declared elected minority inspector of election.
10      (b)   The county board shall fill all vacancies in conjunction
11   with the county parties. All vacancies must be filled two months
12   prior to a general election and one month prior to special
13   elections, midterm elections and primaries.
14      (c)   The county board shall submit a status report to the
15   Department of State at the beginning of each month notifying the
16   Department of State of the number of vacancies.
17      (d)   The county board and county parties shall be provided
18   money to advertise the vacancies and recruit new election day
19   workers. Advertising may include television, radio and social
20   media.
21      (e)   Each county board shall place information about county
22   board vacancies on the board's publicly accessible Internet
23   websites and shall produce public service announcements to
24   recruit workers.
25      (f)   The county board and parties shall meet each month for
26   progress updates.
27      Section 402.     Qualifications of Election Officers.--(a)
28   Except as provided in subsection (b), election officers shall be
29   qualified registered electors of the [district in which they]
30   county in which the election officers are elected or appointed.

20250HB1217PN1365                    - 28 -
 1   [No person shall be qualified to] No individual shall be
 2   qualified to run or serve as an election officer who [shall
 3   hold, or shall within two months have held,] holds or in the
 4   previous two months has held any office, appointment or
 5   employment in or under the Government of the United States or of
 6   this [State] Commonwealth or of any city or county or poor
 7   district, of any municipal board, commission or trust in any
 8   city, [save only district justices] except magisterial district
 9   judges, notaries public and persons in the militia service of
10   the [State; nor shall any] Commonwealth. An election officer
11   shall not be eligible to any civil office [to be] voted for at a
12   primary or election at which [he shall serve] the election
13   officer serves, except that of an election officer.
14      (b)    The county board may appoint students, notwithstanding
15   [their] the student's eligibility to vote, to serve as a clerk
16   or machine inspector [pursuant to the following]. The following
17   shall apply:
18      (1)    The county board may not appoint [no] more than two
19   students per precinct.
20      (2)    [The] A judge of elections shall have direct supervision
21   of the student.
22      (3)    The county board may compensate the student.
23      (4)    The county board shall comply with all applicable
24   Federal and State laws.
25      (5)    The student must at the time of the election for which
26   the student shall serve:
27      (i)    be at least [seventeen (17)] 17 years of age;
28      (ii)    be a United States citizen and a resident of the county
29   in which [he] the student was appointed to serve;
30      (iii)    be enrolled in a secondary educational institution

20250HB1217PN1365                   - 29 -
 1   with an exemplary academic record as determined by the
 2   educational institution;
 3      (iv)   be approved by the principal or director of the
 4   secondary educational institution; and
 5      (v)    have obtained the consent of [their] the student's
 6   parent or guardian.
 7      (6)    The student may not serve as a judge of election or
 8   [majority or minority] inspector.
 9      Section 403.    Tie Votes for Judge and Inspector.--If at any
10   municipal election in any district there [shall be] is a tie
11   vote for the office of judge of election, the majority inspector
12   of election [elected at said election] shall decide the tie
13   vote. If at any municipal election in any district there is a
14   tie vote for inspectors, the two candidates who receive the same
15   number of votes shall determine by lot which of [them] the
16   candidate's shall be the majority inspector.[, and the other
17   candidate shall be the minority inspector, and in case of a tie
18   vote also for judge of election at said election, the tie shall
19   be decided by the person so determined to be majority inspector.
20   The county board shall be notified immediately upon the
21   determination of any such tie vote.]
22      Section 404.    Clerks of Election, Machine Inspectors.--[Prior
23   to the opening of the polls at each primary and election in
24   districts in which voting machines are not used, each] Each
25   inspector shall appoint one clerk to serve at [such] a primary
26   or election. [One clerk shall be appointed by the minority
27   inspector in each district in which a voting machine or machines
28   are used, and in each district in which more than one voting
29   machine is used, the] The county board of elections shall, prior
30   to each primary [and] or election, appoint for [each additional

20250HB1217PN1365                   - 30 -
 1   voting machine to be used in such] every two voting machines in
 2   each district, one qualified registered elector of the county to
 3   serve as machine inspector [therein for such primary or
 4   election]. The qualifications of clerks and machine inspectors
 5   shall be the same as [herein] those provided for election
 6   officers.
 7      Section 405.   Vacancies in Election Boards; Appointment;
 8   Judge and Majority Inspector to Be Members of Majority Party;
 9   Minority Inspector to Be Member of Minority Party.--(a)
10   Vacancies in election boards existing by reason of the
11   disqualification, removal, resignation or death of an election
12   officer, or from any other cause, occurring prior to the fifth
13   day before any primary or election, shall[, in all cases,] be
14   filled by appointment[, by the court of the proper county of
15   competent persons, qualified in accordance with the provisions
16   of this act, who ] by the county board of elections, in
17   consultation with the county parties, and the appointed
18   individual shall serve for the unexpired term of the [person]
19   individual whose place [he] the appointed individual is
20   appointed to fill[: Provided, however, That any]. A district
21   election officer who, after [his] election or appointment,
22   changes [his] political affiliation, [shall not thereby become]
23   is not disqualified to serve on [said] the election board, and
24   [shall not thereby] may not be subject to removal. In making
25   [such] appointments, the [court] county board shall 

…  [truncated — open the source document for the complete text]