Pennsylvania House Panel Advances Bill to Give Election Workers Week for Mail Ballot Processing
House committee approves legislation allowing county officials up to seven days to process mail-in ballots, addressing delays that have affected Pennsylvania election results since 2020.
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA — A Pennsylvania House committee approved legislation Tuesday that would allow county election officials up to seven days to begin processing mail-in ballots before Election Day, addressing delays that have affected election results since 2020.
House Bill 37, introduced by Rep. Scott Conklin (D-Centre), passed the House State Government Committee with a 15-11 vote. Rep. Catherine Wallen of Adams County was the only Republican to support the measure, which now advances to the full House for consideration.
The legislation aims to resolve an issue created by Act 77, signed into law in 2019, which currently allows county election workers to begin pre-canvassing mail-in ballots only after polls open at 7 a.m. on Election Day.
Processing Timeline Extended
Under the proposed changes, county boards of elections could meet up to seven days before an election to pre-canvass ballots. The process involves removing vote-by-mail ballots from their envelopes in preparation for counting.
Committee Chairperson Carol Hill-Evans (D-York) offered an amendment requiring officials to begin pre-canvassing mail-in ballots no later than 7 a.m. on Election Day and continue without interruption until each ballot received before the 8 p.m. deadline has been processed.
The committee passed Hill-Evans’ amendment 24-2, with Republican Reps. Scott Barger of Blair County and Wendy Fink of York County voting against it.
Addressing Election Result Delays
The processing delays have been a challenge since 2020, when Pennsylvania voters first gained the option to cast absentee ballots without providing an excuse for not voting in person. Election officials and county commissioners have consistently requested more time to ensure election results can be reported promptly.
Pennsylvania previously attempted to address this issue in 2021 when both chambers passed an election and voting reform omnibus bill that included additional time to process mail ballots. However, then-Governor Tom Wolf vetoed the package because it contained a voter ID requirement.
Additional Campaign Finance Reforms
The House State Government Committee also approved separate legislation Tuesday to modernize campaign finance reporting requirements for state candidates. That measure passed with a 16-10 vote and will also advance to the full House.
The mail ballot processing bill represents another attempt by Pennsylvania lawmakers to streamline election procedures and reduce the time needed to finalize results. County election officials have emphasized that the current timeline constraints create unnecessary pressure and potential for delays in reporting outcomes.
