Bill that overhauls how Pennsylvanians can vote is headed to Gov. Tom Wolf

A bill that allows any Pennsylvanian to vote by mail, provides millions of dollars in state funding for new voting machines, and eliminates straight-ticket ballots is headed to Gov. Tom Wolf’s desk.

The proposal passed the state House on Tuesday by a vote of 138-61. The state Senate granted its approval that evening with a 35-14 vote.

The bill includes a number of changes to Pennsylvania’s elections code. By the 2020 primary election, the commonwealth will allow:

• Any voter to cast a ballot by mail, at least 50 days before the election
• New voter registration up to 15 days before an election, rather than 30 days
• Absentee or mail-in ballots to arrive by 8 p.m. on Election Day, rather than by 5 p.m. the Friday before Election Day

Republicans and some Democrats hailed the bill as a historic rewrite of outdated laws, with Wolf calling the bill “a major advancement for elections in Pennsylvania.”

Read more: https://www.penncapital-star.com/government-politics/bill-that-overhauls-how-pennsylvanians-can-vote-is-headed-to-gov-tom-wolf/