Today, two voting bills passed out of committee – a harmful voter ID bill, HB 771 and a voting reforms omnibus, HB 1396, the Voting Rights Protection Act. – Common Cause Pennsylvania urged lawmakers to only support legislation that makes voting more accessible and vote down the voter ID bill, which would add significant barriers to the ballot for many. 

The House State Government committee advanced both bills on Tuesday. Common Cause Pennsylvania supports HB 1396, which includes robust early voting, and better vote by mail rules, including rules requiring secure ballot drop-boxes in every county, removing the irrelevant date requirement for mail-in ballots, and guaranteeing all voters the ability to cure defects with mail-in ballot declarations. The legislation also includes provisions strengthening pre-election voting machine testing and post-election audits. While HB 1396 would make voting both more convenient and more secure, HB 771 would put in place burdensome Voter ID checks at polling places. Election workers should not have to hassle Pennsylvanians over ID checks when voters already confirm their identities twice before casting their first ballot.

Twenty-three organizations sent a letter to legislators earlier this session rejecting the voter ID bill.  

“Pennsylvania voters shouldn’t face delays at the polls or increased costs just to satisfy election fraud conspiracy theorists. By contrast, the Voting Rights Protection Act provides common-sense solutions that would actually make our elections more accessible and more secure, with reforms like early voting and uniform, pro-voter mail-in voting rules. The House should reject the voter ID bill and only advance pro-voter reforms for Pennsylvanians,” said Philip Hensley-Robin, Executive Director of Common Cause Pennsylvania.