Unaffiliated voters could choose a party’s primary ballot

Unenrolled voters could choose a party’s ballot in a primary for public office. An unenrolled voter is registered as having no affiliation, or as independent or unaffiliated, on the Pennsylvania voter registration application. An election officer must confirm the voter’s registration, record the party choice on the voter certificate, and do so before the voter signs it. The bill says it would take effect immediately.

Unenrolled voters applying for absentee or mail-in primary ballots would name the party ballot they want. This applies to unenrolled voters applying for an official absentee or mail-in ballot for a primary. The county board must confirm the voter’s registration and then record and process the application accordingly. The bill says it would take effect immediately.

The bill would repeal the separate crime for a voter who willfully casts another party’s primary ballot and retain enrollment rules for party offices. Only voters registered and enrolled in a party could hold or vote for that party’s offices or serve as its convention delegates. The party-office rule covers party officers, committee members or officers, and convention delegates or alternate delegates. The text retains a first-degree misdemeanor for election officers who improperly deny or provide a party ballot. The bill says it would take effect immediately.