Fellow activist, did you hear the news?
Recently, the Pennsylvania House Speaker, Joanna McClinton’s bill (HB 1396) – the Voting Rights Protection Act – passed through the State House, along party lines, 102-101. But the fight is not over yet. This bill still needs to pass the Senate before it can make it to the governor's desk and be signed into law.
This bill represents much-needed modernization efforts. As McClinton stated, “House Bill 1396 responds to the needs of our most essential election stakeholders and would make all of our elections free, fair, efficient, uniform, safe and secure.”
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With proper coordination and implementation planning, this legislation could meaningfully improve Pennsylvania's election system in three key ways:
- Expand access to the ballot box through machine-based early voting
- Crucial updates like electronic poll books and recount reform to modernize and secure our elections
- Standardized ballot drop box requirements
- Practical improvements to mail ballot procedures
- Mandatory mail ballot cure procedures, and
- Pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds.
We are thrilled that this bill continues to make its way through the PA legislature. But with anti-voter bills also progressing, we cannot afford to sit back and wait to see what happens.
Under the false pretext of preventing election fraud, some political actors continue to seek to disenfranchise millions of Americans across not only Pennsylvania but the nation, particularly women, people of color, and low-income families. This includes Trump issuing an executive order trying to roll back voting rights, Republicans in Congress working to rewrite the rules with the passage of the SAVE Act, and more – all to dismantle longstanding voter protections.
HB 1396 represents a promising approach to election modernization that maintains security while expanding access, but it’s not law yet, and we must continue to make our voices heard. Join us in advocating for expanded voting rights in the Commonwealth by rushing a donation today →
Together,
Team NPP
