LWVPA Testifies Before House State Government Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2021

Harrisburg, PA -- On April 15, League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania’s Vice President of Government and Social Policy, Carol Kuniholm, testified before the House State Government Committee during a hearing concerning the election process.

In her testimony, Kuniholm provided specific recommendations to further clarify the provisions of Act 77 of 2019, which was the first major reform to Pennsylvania election law in over 80 years.

These recommendations included:

1. Provide a clearer definition of what it means to pre-canvas ballots and provide time for counties to begin opening, sorting and preparing ballots for scanning 10 to 14 days before election day.

2. Simplify rules surrounding ballot return and ensure the ability of voters to cure ballot defects.

3. Provide population-based standards for minimum number of polling places, drop boxes and early voting locations.

4. Establish best-practice standards for correction of voter roles. LWVPA strongly supports automatic voter registration as a way to reduce costs and errors and allow for easy updates and corrections.

5. Provide county election officials with uniform standards for training and implementation.

Kuniholm also presented LWVPA’s positions on voter registration, election procedures, voting systems, absentee voting, and prison voting.

The work of the League of Women Voters is informed by fundamental principles, beginning with the understanding that voting is a fundamental citizen right that must be guaranteed. For over a century, the League of Women Voters has fought to protect the rights of eligible voters and expand access for those who have been left out of our democratic process.

To that end, LWVPA supports effective election laws that ensure that elections are accessible, transparent, fair, secure, and recountable, promote universal voter participation, and provide voters with meaningful choices when they go to the polls.