PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A sweeping 146-page election reform bill took a step forward in the Pennsylvania House on Tuesday.
It took nearly 17 minutes to explain everything the bill would do — setting a standard that no voter has to wait more than 30 minutes, allowing early in-person voting, setting a minimum number of ballots that need to be printed, and requiring all voters to show ID at polling places while also expanding acceptable forms of ID.
State Rep. Seth Grove (R-York County), the sponsor of the bill and chairman of the State Government Committee, said the bill is based on findings from 10 hearings held by his committee. He called it “the most extensive election oversight in the entire country.”
The committee hearing broke down on party lines.
State Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Lehigh and Berks County) said the legislation brings back uniformity across counties.
“There was curing of ballots, which was handled differently in counties,” he said. “There were secrecy envelopes, which were handled differently, dates and signature requirements were handled differently.”
However, Philadelphia Democratic state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta argued the entire bill is predicated on “lies” about the November presidential election. He pointed to a Dec. 4 letter signed by 57 House Republicans — including Grove, the House speaker, and majority leader — urging Congress to object to Pennsylvania’s Electoral College votes.
“You have the same people who have been stoking the fire that we’re seeing in our democratic process who now want to come and act like they’re the firefighters,” said Kenyatta. “If there is a lack of trust in our voting it is because of you and the lies you told about the election.”
Southwestern Pennsylvania Republican state Rep. Matt Dowling countered it wasn’t about the results.
“My motive has been a poorly and inconsistently run election in November of 2020 throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” he said.
Bucks County Republican state Rep. Craig Staats, who signed the Dec. 4 letter, added the election reform bill comes after hearing from county elections officials.
“The message has been very clear,” he said. “The current system does not work for them and they need assistance.”
While the bill was voted out of committee, Philadelphia Democratic state Rep. Jared Solomon said there’s a breakdown on party lines in part because Democrats were shut out of the process.
“I could dress in a suit and attend the hearings and ask some questions, true, but not in the final product, not in the legislative vehicle,” he said.
The bill moves to the House floor for full consideration. Gov. Tom Wolf has threatened a veto.