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PART II. ELECTION AND REGISTRATION OFFICIALS
Chapter 7. County Officers
Subchapter A. Preliminary Provisions

• § 701.  Definitions.
  The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates ...

Subchapter B. Compensation (Repealed)

• § 711.  Compensation of certain election officials (Repealed).
  SUBCHAPTER B COMPENSATION (Repealed) 2002 Repeal Note. Subchapter B (§ 711) was added January 31, 2002, P.L.18, No.3, and repealed December 9, 2002, P.L.1246, No.150, ...

PART IV. VOTER REGISTRATION
Chapter 11. Preliminary Provisions

• § 1101.  Scope.
  This part deals with voter registration. ...
• § 1102.  Definitions.
  Subject to additional definitions contained in subsequent provisions of this part which are applicable to specific provisions of this part, the following words and phrases ...
• § 1103.  Applicability.
  This part applies to all counties. ...
• § 1104.  Construction.
  No part of any day fixed for the performance of duties by any person or official under this part shall be deemed a Sunday or ...
• § 1105.  Standardized forms.
  (a) General rule.--Whenever possible, the secretary shall prescribe by regulation standardized voter registration or absentee ballot application forms which may be used, with prior approval ...
• § 1106.  Applications.
  (a) Registration application.--Voter registration applications printed under the act of June 30, 1995 (P.L.170, No.25), known as the Pennsylvania Voter Registration Act, may be used ...
• § 1107.  Existing electors.
  All electors registered to vote in this Commonwealth on the effective date of this section who remain qualified shall continue to be registered under this ...
• § 1108.  Administration.
  The department shall administer this part. ...

Chapter 12. Registration System
Subchapter A. Administrative Powers and Duties

• § 1201.  Departmental responsibilities.
  The department shall do all of the following: (1) Provide for applicants to submit their voter registration application to a commission, the Department of Transportation ...
• § 1202.  (Reserved).
  § 1202. (Reserved). ...
• § 1203.  Commissions.
  (a) Establishment.--A commission is established in each county. The commission has jurisdiction over the registration of applicants, qualified electors and registered electors of the county ...
• § 1204.  Commission staff.
  (a) Counties of the first class.-- (1) A commissioner may act as registrar or inspector of registration. (2) The commission has the power to assign ...
• § 1205.  Police assistance.
  A commission may call on police officers of the appropriate municipality to maintain the peace at a place of registration. ...
• § 1206.  Unexpended balance; source of funds.
  (a) Unexpended balance.--Unexpended balances of appropriations made by the county commissioners prior to the effective date of this part for the purpose of carrying out ...
• § 1207.  Open records and documents.
  (a) Scope.--The following documents under this part are open to public inspection except as otherwise provided in this section: (1) Records of a registration commission ...

Subchapter B. Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors (SURE)

• § 1221.  (Reserved).
  SUBCHAPTER B STATEWIDE UNIFORM REGISTRY OF ELECTORS (SURE) Sec. 1221. (Reserved). 1222. SURE system. 1223. SURE system costs. Special Provisions in Appendix. See section 3 ...
• § 1222.  SURE system.
  (a) Establishment.--The department shall develop and establish a Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors to be known as the SURE system. (b) Advisory board.--(Repealed). (c) Requirements.--The ...
• § 1223.  SURE system costs.
  The cost of establishment, implementation and maintenance of the SURE system technology and its emergency recovery system shall be borne by the Commonwealth. ...

Chapter 13. Voter Registration
Subchapter A. Qualifications

• § 1301.  Qualifications to register.
  (a) Eligibility.--An individual who will be at least 18 years of age on the day of the next election, who has been a citizen of ...
• § 1302.  Residence of electors.
  (a) General rule.-- (1) For the purpose of registration and voting, no individual shall be deemed to have gained a residence by reason of presence ...

Subchapter B. Procedure

• § 1321.  Methods of voter registration.
  An individual qualified to register to vote under section 1301(a) (relating to qualifications to register) may apply to register as follows: (1) Under section 1322 ...
• § 1322.  In-person voter registration.
  (a) General rule.--Applications may be submitted to register to vote or change party enrollment or name or address on a current registration record in person ...
• § 1323.  Application with driver's license application.
  (a) General rule.-- (1) The Department of Transportation shall provide for simultaneous application for voter registration in conjunction with the process under 75 Pa.C.S. § ...
• § 1324.  Application by mail.
  (a) General rule.--An application to register to vote or to change party enrollment or name or address on a current registration may be submitted by ...
• § 1325.  Government agencies.
  (a) General rule.--The secretary shall administer a system whereby all offices in this Commonwealth that provide public assistance, each county clerk of orphans' court, including ...
• § 1326.  Time.
  (a) General rule.--Except as provided in subsection (b), each commission, commissioners and registrars or clerks appointed by the commission shall receive, during ordinary business hours ...
• § 1327.  Preparation and distribution of applications.
  (a) Form.-- (1) The secretary shall prescribe the form of an official voter registration application. The official voter registration application shall provide space for the ...
• § 1328.  Approval of registration applications.
  (a) Examination.--Upon receiving a voter registration application, a commissioner, clerk or registrar of a commission shall do all of the following: (1) Initial and date ...
§ 1328.1. SURE registration number.

• § 1329.  Challenges.
  (a) Standing.--An individual claiming the right to be registered may be challenged by a commissioner, registrar or clerk or by a qualified elector of the ...
• § 1330.  Appeals.
  (a) Right.--An individual whose application to be registered has been denied may file with the commission a petition to be registered, setting forth the grounds ...

Chapter 14. Records

• § 1401.  General register.
  (a) General rule.--The general register shall contain all of the following for each registered elector of the county: (1) The ward and election district of ...
• § 1402.  District registers.
  (a) Registration card file.-- (1) Except as provided in subsection (b) and in section 1401(e) (relating to general register), the original registration cards shall be ...
• § 1403.  Street lists.
  (a) Preparation.--Commencing not later than the 15th day prior to each election, each commission shall prepare for each election district a list of the names ...
• § 1404.  Public information lists.
  (a) Establishment.-- (1) A commission shall provide for computer inquiries concerning individual registered electors. With respect to each registered elector who is the subject of ...
• § 1405.  Retention of records.
  (a) Computer lists.--Each commission shall preserve district registers for at least five years in the manner, form and time frame established by the department. (b) ...
• § 1406.  Reports.
  (a) Commission.--By March 1, a commission shall submit to the secretary an annual report setting forth the number of electors registered under sections 1322 (relating ...

Chapter 15. Changes in Records

• § 1501.  Removal notices.
  (a) Form.-- (1) A commission shall make removal notices available to electors who are registered in the county. (2) The notice shall be printed upon ...
• § 1502.  Transfer of registration.
  (a) General rule.--Upon timely receipt of notification of removal under section 1501(b) (relating to removal notices), the commission shall proceed as follows: (1) The signature ...
• § 1503.  Change of enrollment of political party.
  By the deadline for registration, a registered elector who desires to change the enrollment of political designation or who, although registered, has not previously enrolled ...
• § 1504.  Disability.
  (a) Eligibility.--If a registered elector by reason of blindness, disability or inability to read or write is unable to read the names on the ballot ...
• § 1505.  Death of registrant.
  (a) Department of Health.--A commission shall cancel the registration of a registered elector reported dead by the Department of Health. The Department of Health shall, ...
• § 1506.  Checkup of registers.
  (a) General rule.--At any time prior to the 30th day preceding an election, a commission may mail to any qualified elector whose name appears in ...
• § 1507.  Canvass of registered electors.
  (a) Verification.--The commission may, by individual commissioners or by inspectors of registration, verify the registration in an election district by visiting each building from which ...
• § 1508.  Comparison and correction of registers.
  Commencing 30 days prior to each election, the commission shall compare and correct the general and district registers. Cross References. Section 1508 is referred to ...
• § 1509.  Petition to strike off names.
  (a) Initiation.--At any time not later than the tenth day preceding an election, a qualified elector, including any watcher and any registrar or inspector of ...
• § 1510.  Failure to vote.
  (a) Check of electors.--By April 1 of each year except in a year in which the commission conducts a check of electors under section 1506(c) ...
• § 1511.  Cancellation, removal and preservation of registration records.
  § 1511. Cancellation, removal and preservation of registration records. (a) General rule.--If the registration of a registered elector is canceled for any cause, the commission ...
• § 1512.  Correction of errors in cancellation or suspension.
  If the registration of a registered elector has been canceled or suspended through error, the registered elector may petition the commission for reinstatement of registration ...
• § 1513.  Applicability of provisions.
  (a) Suspension.--To the extent that the Secretary of the Commonwealth determines that the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-31, 42 U.S.C. § ...
• § 1514.  Conversion of registration records.
  The department shall convert the registration records of each commission in accordance with section 1222 (relating to SURE system). In converting the registration records of ...

Chapter 16. Commission Proceedings and Judicial Review

• § 1601.  Subpoenas and witness fees.
  (a) Authorization.--A commission may issue a subpoena. (b) Form and effect.--A subpoena under subsection (a) shall be in substantially the same form and have the ...
• § 1602.  Court of common pleas.
  (a) Standing.--The following have standing to appeal an action of a commission to the appropriate court of common pleas: (1) An applicant whose claim for ...
• § 1603.  Commission duties.
  In an appeal under section 1602 (relating to court of common pleas), the registration commission shall produce any petition, register or other record in its ...

Chapter 17. Penalties

• § 1701.  Lawful orders.
  A person who intentionally disobeys a lawful order of a registration commission or a commissioner commits a misdemeanor of the third degree and shall, upon ...
• § 1702.  Registration.
  (a) Improper.--A registrar, commissioner or clerk who knowingly registers or permits the registration of an applicant not lawfully entitled to be registered commits a misdemeanor ...
• § 1703.  Application.
  (a) Prohibition.--An individual may not do any of the following: (1) Apply for registration with knowledge or reason to know that the individual is not ...
• § 1704.  Altering registration.
  (a) Prohibition.--No registrar, commissioner, clerk or assistant or commission employee may do any of the following: (1) Intentionally insert or permit to be inserted an ...
• § 1705.  Votes.
  (a) Prohibition.--An election officer may not do any of the following: (1) Knowingly refuse the vote of a registered elector. (2) Knowingly accept the vote ...
• § 1706.  Duties under part.
  Any commissioner, registrar, clerk, inspector of registration, commission officer, commission assistant, commission employee, individual, partnership or corporation that intentionally delays, neglects or refuses to perform ...
• § 1707.  Official documents and electronic records.
  (a) Prohibition.--A person may not do any of the following: (1) Intentionally insert or permit to be inserted a material entry in any registration record, ...
• § 1708.  Withholding information.
  A person who intentionally refuses to furnish to a commissioner or an inspector of registration information or documents which the commissioner or inspector is authorized ...
• § 1709.  Law enforcement assistance.
  A law enforcement officer who, upon demand of any commissioner or inspector of registration or of the secretary, fails to render demanded assistance in the ...
• § 1710.  Interference.
  A person who intentionally interferes with any other person in the performance of any act or duty authorized or imposed by this part commits a ...
• § 1711.  Preventing registration.
  (a) Prohibition.--No person may do any of the following: (1) Knowingly and intentionally prevent an applicant who is a qualified elector from being registered. (2) ...
• § 1712.  Approval of registration.
  (a) Prohibition.--A person may not do any of the following: (1) Intentionally alter a party designation without a request from the registered elector. (2) Intentionally ...
• § 1713.  Solicitation of registration.
  (a) Prohibition.--A person may not give, solicit or accept payment or financial incentive to obtain a voter registration if the payment or incentive is based ...
• § 1714.  Crimes Code.
  The provisions of 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 4902 (relating to perjury), 4903 (relating to false swearing) and 4904 (relating to unsworn falsification to authorities) apply to ...

Chapter 18. Enforcement

• § 1801.  Attorney General.
  (a) Investigation.--The secretary shall investigate alleged violations of sections 1323 (relating to application with driver's license application) and 1325 (relating to government agencies) and report ...
• § 1802.  District attorneys.
  (a) Investigation.--Except as provided in section 1801 (relating to Attorney General), each commission shall investigate alleged violations of this part within its county and report ...
• § 1803.  Power of department.
  (a) General rule.--The department shall have the authority to take any actions, including the authority to audit the registration records of a commission, which are ...
• § 1804.  Relief.
  (a) Injunctive.--In the event that a commission fails to adhere to any provision of this part, the secretary is authorized to seek declaratory and injunctive ...

Chapter 19. Provisions Contingent on Federal Law

• § 1901.  Removal of electors.
  (a) Removal of elector's registration record.--Commissions shall institute a program to protect the integrity of the electoral process and to ensure the maintenance of accurate ...
• § 1902.  Procedure for voting following failure to return notification card.
  § 1902. Procedure for voting following failure to return notification card. (a) Same county.-- (1) A registered elector who has moved from an address in ...
• § 1903.  Incorrect records.
  If registration records incorrectly indicate that a registered elector has moved from an address in the area covered by a polling place, the elector shall, ...
• § 1904.  Files.
  (a) Cancellation.--If the registration of a registered elector is canceled, the commission shall mark on all registration records of the elector the word "canceled" and ...
• § 1905.  Errors in cancellation.
  (a) Petition.--If the registration of an elector has been canceled through error, the elector may petition the registration commission for reinstatement. (b) Time.--The petition must ...
• § 1906.  Termination of chapter.
  (a) Notice.--If the Secretary of the Commonwealth determines that the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-31, 42 U.S.C. § 1973gg et seq.) ...

PART IX. CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS
Chapter 33. Voting Procedures

• § 3302.  Application for absentee ballots.
  (a) General rule.--Notwithstanding the provisions of Part IV (relating to voter registration) or the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania ...

Last modified: November 22, 2007