FOR COUNTIES
Bond funding – $90 million
The Act authorizes the Department of State to apply to the Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority (PEDFA) for a bond issuance up to $90 million. The proceeds of the bond will be used to fund a grant program that will reimburse counties for 60 percent of the costs of their new voting systems. The Act also provides that any money left over after all counties have been reimbursed can be used by counties to purchase election security equipment.
Census/Redistricting Blackout Period
This act initiates a voting district (or precinct) freeze until after the decennial census. Starting December 31, 2019, counties may not alter (with few exceptions) a voting district until November 30, 2020, or until all judicial appeals to the 2022 Congressional Redistricting Plan are resolved, whichever occurs later.
County Ballot Printing
Now, counties will need to print at least 10 percent more ballots than the greatest number of ballots cast in the last three elections of the same type (Election types include municipal primary, midterm, general, etc.). The exception is in presidential years, when they will be required to print at least 15 percent more than the greatest number of ballots cast in the last three presidential elections. Counties may choose to print more ballots than the minimum required number.
Canvassing of Ballots
Absentee and mail-in ballots must now be counted centrally at the county board of elections office. They will no longer be sent to polling places and counted there. Canvassing (or counting) must begin on the third day after Election Day and must be finished within eight days after the election.
Public Records
Counties must keep additional public records for absentee and mail-in ballots. They must keep a record of the following dates:
- the date the county receives the application
- the date the application is approved or rejected
- the date the county mails or delivers the ballot and
- the date the completed ballot is received
Decertification of Voting Systems
Please note that this section does not take effect until 180 days after October 31, 2019, and does not impact in any way the current decertification and replacement of voting systems in process across Pennsylvania.
The Department of State certifies voting systems that are used in Pennsylvania and has the authority to decertify those machines. Act 77 says that the Department may not decertify a voting system that is being used by 50 percent of counties, unless it submits a written plan to the General Assembly at least 180 days in advance. The written plan must contain:
- the reason for the disapproval or decertification
- the estimated cost to replace the decertified voting systems
- a plan for covering the costs of the new systems
- a plan for replacing the decertified voting systems
- the effective date for the decertification of old systems