SB 599 — An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in county boards of elections, further providing for expenses of county boards and of primaries and elections to be paid by county, expenses of special elections and boards to be provided with offices; in voting by qualified absentee electors, further providing for date of application for absentee ballot and for voting by absentee electors; and, in voting by qualified mail-in electors, further providing for voting by mail-in electors.

PRINTER'S NO.   605

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 599
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY DUSH, PHILLIPS-HILL, ROTHMAN, BROOKS, MARTIN,
        LAUGHLIN, LANGERHOLC, STEFANO AND J. WARD, APRIL 9, 2025

     REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 9, 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 county boards of elections, further providing
12      for expenses of county boards and of primaries and elections
13      to be paid by county, expenses of special elections and
14      boards to be provided with offices; in voting by qualified
15      absentee electors, further providing for date of application
16      for absentee ballot and for voting by absentee electors; and,
17      in voting by qualified mail-in electors, further providing
18      for voting by mail-in electors.
19      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
20   hereby enacts as follows:
21      Section 1.    Sections 305(b), 1302.1(a.3)(4) and (6), 1306(a)
22   introductory paragraph and 1306-D(a) of the act of June 3, 1937
23   (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, are
24   amended to read:
25      Section 305.    Expenses of County Boards and of Primaries and
26   Elections to Be Paid by County; Expenses of Special Elections;
 1   Boards to Be Provided with Offices.--
 2         * * *
 3         (b)   The county commissioners or other appropriating
 4   authorities of the county shall provide the county board with a
 5   suitable and adequate [offices] primary office at the county
 6   seat, properly furnished for keeping its records, holding its
 7   public sessions and otherwise performing its public duties, and
 8   shall also provide such branch offices for the board in cities
 9   other than the county seat, as may be necessary.
10         * * *
11         Section 1302.1.   Date of Application for Absentee Ballot.--*
12   * *
13         (a.3)   * * *
14         (4)   If the elector is unable to appear at the office of the
15   county board of elections to receive the ballot, the board shall
16   give the elector's absentee ballot to an authorized
17   representative of the elector who is designated in writing by
18   the elector. The authorized representative shall deliver the
19   absentee ballot to the elector and return the completed absentee
20   ballot, sealed in the official absentee ballot envelopes, to an
21   employe at the primary office of the county board of elections
22   located in the county seat under section 305(b), which shall
23   retain the ballot, unopened, until the canvassing of all
24   absentee ballots.
25         * * *
26         (6)   If the elector is unable to appear at the office of the
27   county board of elections or unable to obtain assistance from an
28   authorized representative, the county board may provide an
29   authorized representative or ask the judge of the court of
30   common pleas in the county in which the elector is qualified to

20250SB0599PN0605                     - 2 -
 1   vote to direct a deputy sheriff of the county to deliver the
 2   absentee ballot to the elector if the elector is at a physical
 3   location within the county and return the completed absentee
 4   ballot, sealed in the official absentee ballot envelopes, to an
 5   employe at the primary office of the county board of elections
 6   located in the county seat under section 305(b). If there is no
 7   authorized representative and a deputy sheriff is unavailable to
 8   deliver an absentee ballot under this section, the judge may
 9   direct a constable to make such delivery in accordance with the
10   provisions of this section.
11      * * *
12      Section 1306.   Voting by Absentee Electors.--(a)   Except as
13   provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), at any time after receiving
14   an official absentee ballot, but on or before eight o'clock P.M.
15   the day of the primary or election, the elector shall, in
16   secret, proceed to mark the ballot only in black lead pencil,
17   indelible pencil or blue, black or blue-black ink, in fountain
18   pen or ball point pen, and then fold the ballot, enclose and
19   securely seal the same in the envelope on which is printed,
20   stamped or endorsed "Official Election Ballot." This envelope
21   shall then be placed in the second one, on which is printed the
22   form of declaration of the elector, and the address of the
23   elector's county board of election and the local election
24   district of the elector. The elector shall then fill out, date
25   and sign the declaration printed on such envelope. Such envelope
26   shall then be securely sealed and the elector shall send same by
27   mail, postage prepaid, except where franked, or deliver it in
28   person to an employe of said county board of election at the
29   primary office located in the county seat under section 305(b).
30      * * *

20250SB0599PN0605                  - 3 -
 1   Section 1306-D.    Voting by mail-in electors.
 2      (a)   General rule.--At any time after receiving an official
 3   mail-in ballot, but on or before eight o'clock P.M. the day of
 4   the primary or election, the mail-in elector shall, in secret,
 5   proceed to mark the ballot only in black lead pencil, indelible
 6   pencil or blue, black or blue-black ink, in fountain pen or ball
 7   point pen, and then fold the ballot, enclose and securely seal
 8   the same in the envelope on which is printed, stamped or
 9   endorsed "Official Election Ballot." This envelope shall then be
10   placed in the second one, on which is printed the form of
11   declaration of the elector, and the address of the elector's
12   county board of election and the local election district of the
13   elector. The elector shall then fill out, date and sign the
14   declaration printed on such envelope. Such envelope shall then
15   be securely sealed and the elector shall send same by mail,
16   postage prepaid, except where franked, or deliver it in person
17   to an employee of said county board of election at the primary
18   office located in the county seat under section 305(b).
19      * * *
20      Section 2.     This act shall take effect immediately.




20250SB0599PN0605                    - 4 -