HB 1487 — An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in election districts and polling places, further providing for polling places to be selected by county board; and, in qualifications of electors, further providing for residence of electors.

PRINTER'S NO.   1741

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1487
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY DAWKINS, HILL-EVANS, WAXMAN, RABB, GIRAL, SANCHEZ,
        MADDEN, BELLMON, RIVERA, D. WILLIAMS, KENYATTA AND GREEN,
        MAY 16, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MAY 21, 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," in election districts and polling places, further
12      providing for polling places to be selected by county board;
13      and, in qualifications of electors, further providing for
14      residence of electors.
15      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
16   hereby enacts as follows:
17      Section 1.    Section 526 of the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333,
18   No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, is amended by
19   adding a subsection to read:
20      Section 526.    Polling Places to Be Selected by County
21   Board.--* * *
22      (a.1)   The county board of elections in a county of the first
23   class shall provide an additional polling place in the county
 1   prison for individuals registering their residence at the prison
 2   under section 703(4)(ii).
 3      * * *
 4      Section 2.    Section 703 of the act is amended to read:
 5      Section 703.    Residence of Electors.--For the purpose of
 6   registration and voting, no person shall be deemed to have
 7   gained a residence by reason of his presence, or lost it by
 8   reason of his absence, [while] in any of the following
 9   circumstances:
10      (1)    Being employed in the service, either civil or military,
11   of [this State] the Commonwealth or of the United States[, nor
12   while].
13      (2)    Being engaged in the navigation of the waters of [the
14   State] this Commonwealth or of the United States, or on the high
15   seas[, nor while].
16      (3)    Being a student of any institution of learning[, nor
17   while kept in any poorhouse or other asylum].
18      (4)    Being in an institution at public expense[, nor while
19   confined in public prison, except that any]. This paragraph does
20   not apply to any of the following:
21      (i)    A veteran who resides in a home for disabled and
22   indigent soldiers and sailors, operated and maintained by the
23   Commonwealth [of Pennsylvania,] and who possesses all the
24   qualifications for voting. [, may gain a residence for
25   registration and voting at the home for disabled and indigent
26   soldiers and sailors. The provisions of this amendment shall not
27   be construed to affect the voting rights of bedridden or
28   hospitalized veterans who choose to vote as absentee electors by
29   the use of veteran's official ballots.] The veteran may elect to
30   use that residence for registration and voting or elect to vote

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1   as an absentee elector by the use of an absentee ballot.
2      (ii)   An individual who is incarcerated in a county prison in
3   a county of the first class and who is awaiting trial or
4   sentencing or serving a sentence for a misdemeanor or summary
5   offense. The individual may elect to utilize that residence for
6   registration and voting or elect to vote as an absentee elector
7   by the use of an absentee ballot.
8      Section 3.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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