HB 280 — An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; in qualifications of electors, further providing for qualifications of electors at primaries; in party organization, further providing for only enrolled electors to vote at primaries or hold party offices; in nomination of candidates, further providing for candidates to be nominated and party officers to be elected at primaries and providing for procedure for unenrolled electors to cast primary ballots; in preparation for and conduct of primaries and elections, further providing for manner of applying to vote, persons entitled to vote, voter's certificates, entries to be made in district register, numbered lists of voters and challenges; in voting by qualified absentee electors, further providing for applications for official absentee ballots; in voting by qualified mail-in electors, further providing for applications for official mail-in ballots; in returns of primaries and elections, further providing for computation of returns by county board, certification and issuance of certificates of election; and, in penalties, further providing for election officers refusing to permit elector to vote in proper party at primaries and repealing provisions relating to elector voting ballot of wrong party at primary.

Bill Text

• Printer's No. PN0223 View text Current pdf

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill allows unenrolled electors to participate in primary elections and clarifies their voting procedures.

• Section 102

  (z.7) The words "unenrolled elector" shall mean a person who is registered to vote within an election district having selected "none" or "no affiliation" or having selected "other" and written in a clear preference to be unaffiliated or independent in regard to a political party on their Pennsylvania voter registration application.

  Defines 'unenrolled elector' as a person registered without party affiliation.

• Section 702

  [, provided that no elector who is not registered and enrolled as a member of a political party, in accordance with the provisions of this act, shall be permitted to vote the ballot of such party or any other party ballot at any primary.] → Unenrolled electors shall be permitted to vote in primary elections for the nomination for candidates for public office in accordance with the procedures specified in sections 902.1, 1231, 1302 and 1302-D.

  Allows unenrolled electors to vote in party primaries.

• Section 802

  No person who is not registered and enrolled as a member of a political party shall be entitled to [vote at any primary of such party or to] → be elected or serve as or vote for a party officer, or a member or officer of any party committee, or delegate or alternate delegate to any party convention.

  Maintains that only enrolled members can hold party offices or vote for them.

• Section 902

  [except as otherwise provided in this act. In the years when candidates for the office of President of the United States are to be nominated, every registered and enrolled member of a political party shall have the opportunity at the Spring primary in such years to vote his preference for one person to be the candidate of his political party for President.] → In a primary election conducted in this Commonwealth, all unenrolled electors shall have the opportunity to vote in accordance with the procedures provided under section 902.1.

  Confirms that unenrolled electors can vote in primaries.

• Section 902.1

  Upon confirming an unenrolled elector's status as a registered elector, the elections officer shall ask the unenrolled elector in which political party's primary the unenrolled elector desires to vote...

  Establishes a procedure for unenrolled electors to choose a party for primary voting.

• Section 1210(d)

  [section 1210 of this act] → this section

  Updates wording for clarity on voting qualifications.

• Section 1302(b)

  party choice in case of primary, → party choice in case of primary and

  Clarifies that unenrolled electors must specify a party choice when applying for absentee ballots.

• Section 1302-D(b)

  party choice in case of primary. → party choice in case of primary and

  Clarifies that unenrolled electors must specify a party choice when applying for mail-in ballots.

Action History

1. May 13, 2025

   Laid on the table

2. May 13, 2025

   First consideration

3. May 13, 2025

   Reported as committed

4. January 22, 2025

   Referred to State Government

Sponsors

• Jared G. Solomon · Primary
• Malcolm Kenyatta · Cosponsor
• Christopher M. Rabb · Cosponsor
• Tarik Khan · Cosponsor
• Arvind Venkat · Cosponsor
• Chris Pielli · Cosponsor
• Tarah Probst · Cosponsor
• Carol Hill-Evans · Cosponsor
• Nancy Guenst · Cosponsor
• Jim Haddock · Cosponsor
• Michael H. Schlossberg · Cosponsor
• Melissa L. Shusterman · Cosponsor
• Joe Webster · Cosponsor
• Daniel J. Deasy · Cosponsor
• Melissa Cerrato · Cosponsor
• G. Roni Green · Cosponsor
• Jennifer O'Mara · Cosponsor
• Justin C. Fleming · Cosponsor
• Lisa A. Borowski · Cosponsor
• MaryLouise Isaacson · Cosponsor
• Tim Brennan · Cosponsor
• Dan Frankel · Cosponsor
• Christina D. Sappey · Cosponsor
• Andre D. Carroll · Cosponsor
• Greg Scott · Cosponsor
• Scott Conklin · Cosponsor
• Jeremy Shaffer · Cosponsor
• Nikki Rivera · Cosponsor

Votes

Subjects