Keystone Today

Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers will appeal directly to constituents to enact a voter ID provision that was vetoed Wednesday, along with other election reform measures in House Bill 1300, by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf. 

State Rep. Seth Grove (R-York), prime sponsor of HB 1300, the Voting Rights Protection Act, said that the State Government Committee, which he chairs, will take up a proposed constitutional amendment, Senate Bill 375, to require voter ID. The language in the bill requires voters to show ID before receiving a ballot at the polls, as well as requiring those not voting in person to submit proof of ID with their ballot.

“This will take election reform directly to the people, the majority of whom support the measure, and bypass the executive branch,” Grove said in a statement.

Approximately 74% of voters support requiring voters to show identification before casting their ballots, according to a recent Franklin & Marshall College poll. Moreover, four months of hearings by the State Government Committee revealed numerous other potential changes in the voting system.

“Throughout 10 hearings on Pennsylvania’s election process, we heard time and again the need to fix flaws in our election,” Grove said. “Local election officials asked for the deadline to register to vote and the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot be moved up so their staff have more time to do their jobs. The Voting Rights Protection Act would have done what people who work in election officials asked for. Unfortunately, Wolf turned a blind eye to their requests.”

Other provisions in HB 1300 include requiring risk-limiting audits in all elections, as well as audits of the Department of State and the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors every five years, enhanced certification processes for all machines used in elections and signature verification using ballot scanning equipment for mail-in and absentee ballots.

Wolf also eliminated funding for the Pennsylvania auditor general to provide a checks system of elections by allowing for audits. Grove said the line item was part of the budget agreement with the governor’s office, and that Wolf went back on his word when he vetoed it.

Republicans, who control the General Assembly, have had recent success with circumventing the governor through the constitutional amendment process. In the May primary, voters approved two questions that restricted the governor’s emergency powers, which came into question during the COVID-19 outbreak. Lawmakers placed the questions on the ballot after the governor’s repeated extension of emergency powers, and his exclusion of the General Assembly from input into his response to the pandemic.

A proposed constitutional amendment requires approval in two successive legislative sessions. Lawmakers are currently on summer recess and will return in late September.

Pennsylvania Republicans began their push for voter legislation after former President Donald Trump argued without proof that he had lost the 2020 presidential election due to fraud. Trump lost Pennsylvania to Joe Biden by about 80,000 votes.