HB 267 — An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in preparation for and conduct of primaries and elections, further providing for assistance in voting.

PRINTER'S NO.   212

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 267
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY HANBIDGE, KHAN, GIRAL, SCHLOSSBERG, SANCHEZ,
        HOWARD, HILL-EVANS, OTTEN, CERRATO AND GREEN,
        JANUARY 22, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 22, 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 preparation for and conduct of primaries and
12      elections, further providing for assistance in voting.
13      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
14   hereby enacts as follows:
15      Section 1.    Section 1218 of the act of June 3, 1937
16   (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, is
17   amended to read:
18      Section 1218.    Assistance in Voting.--
19      (a)   [No] Except as provided under subsection (a.1), no voter
20   shall be permitted to receive any assistance in voting at any
21   [primary or] election, unless there is recorded upon his
22   registration card his declaration that, by reason of blindness,
 1   disability, or inability to read or write, he is unable to read
 2   the names on the ballot or on the voting machine labels, or that
 3   he has a physical disability which renders him unable to see or
 4   mark the ballot or operate the voting machine, or to enter the
 5   voting compartment or voting machine booth without assistance,
 6   the exact nature of such condition being recorded on such
 7   registration card[, and unless the election officers are
 8   satisfied that he still suffers from the same condition].
 9      (a.1)     (1)   Notwithstanding any provision of this act or any
10   other law or regulation to the contrary, a voter who, due to
11   blindness, disease or other disability, is physically unable to
12   enter a polling place where ballots or an electronic voting
13   system are used at any election may vote without leaving a motor
14   vehicle.
15      (2)     The regular voting procedures may be modified by the
16   election officer to the extent necessary to conduct voting under
17   this subsection.
18      (3)     If the exact nature of the voter's disability or
19   condition is not recorded on the voter's registration card, the
20   voter may provide evidence of a disability or condition in
21   accordance with guidelines established by the Secretary of the
22   Commonwealth.
23      (4)     At least two election officers who are members of
24   different major political parties shall assist the voter by
25   providing the necessary ballots at the polling place entrance or
26   curb, as the case may be.
27      (5)     After the voter is accepted for voting, the voter shall
28   mark the ballot and give it to the election officers who shall
29   deposit it in the ballot box. The voter may request additional
30   assistance as provided under subsection (a).

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 1      (6)     On the voter's request, a person accompanying the voter
 2   shall be permitted to select the voter's ballot and deposit the
 3   ballot in the ballot box or enter the voting compartment or
 4   voting machine booth in accordance with subsection (b).
 5      (b)     Any elector who is entitled to receive assistance in
 6   voting under the provisions of this section shall be permitted
 7   by the judge of election to select a person of the elector's
 8   choice to enter the voting compartment or voting machine booth
 9   with him to assist him in voting, such assistance to be rendered
10   inside the voting compartment or voting machine booth except
11   that the judge of election, a candidate for election, the
12   elector's employer or an agent of the employer or an officer or
13   agent of the elector's union shall not be eligible to assist the
14   elector.
15      (c)     In every case of assistance under the provisions of this
16   section, the judge of election shall forthwith enter in writing
17   in a book to be furnished by the county board of elections, to
18   be known as the record of assisted voters--(1) the voter's name;
19   (2) a statement of the facts which entitle him to receive
20   assistance; and (3) the name of the person furnishing the
21   assistance. The record of assisted voters shall be returned by
22   the judge of election to the county board of elections with the
23   other papers, as hereinafter provided, and said county board
24   shall permit the same to be examined only upon the written order
25   of a judge of the court of common pleas: Provided, however, That
26   such record shall be subject to subpoena to the same extent to
27   which other election records may be subpoenaed: And provided
28   further, That the county election board shall permit any
29   registration commission to examine any records of assisted
30   voters without a court order, in order that the registration

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1   commission may ascertain whether electors, who have declared, at
2   the time of registration, their need for assistance, actually
3   did receive assistance when voting at any election.
4      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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