HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton wants to give voters more time to cast their ballots in person. She introduced a new bill that would allow voters to make their selections up to two weeks before election day.
Under the proposal, Pennsylvanians could register to vote when they show up at the polls.
"Having early in-person voting, along with same-day voter registration on election day, will empower our neighbors in every part of the Commonwealth to participate in each and every election," said McClinton, a Democrat who represents Delaware and Philadelphia counties.
Voting advocates said the move would expand access and catch Pennsylvania up with almost two dozen other states that are already doing it.
"These two critical modernizations will make it more convenient for busy, hard-working people who are juggling so many responsibilities and priorities to participate in voting," McClinton said.
While McClinton suggests the bill would improve security, Republicans believe it would complicate the process for county elections officials.
"Their consistent request has been to separate the administration and preparation for the election and then the operation of running the election," said Republican Rep. Bryan Cutler, Pennsylvania House minority leader. "I think to mash the two together would simply be inappropriate."
"The County Commissioners Association has been very clear," McClinton said when asked what counties thought of the proposal. "Similar to this type of measure, they want to make it easier for more people to participate, not harder."
No matter how the bill is received in the House and the Republican-controlled Senate, it won't impact the elections in 2024. McClinton said if it becomes law, changes would take effect in 2027, giving county elections offices time to adjust.