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For Immediate Release Congressman Pitts Calls on Governor To Sign Voter Protection Act Washington–- Congressman Joe Pitts (R, PA-16) today urged Governor Ed Rendell to sign HB 1318, the Pennsylvania Voter Protection Act. The legislation, passed recently by the General Assembly, would provide meaningful reforms to the way Pennsylvanians elect officials to all levels of government. Congressman Pitts’ statement follows: “The Voter Protection Act proposes common sense reforms to our electoral process that ought to become law,” Congressman Pitts said. “By cleaning up intimidation and other unethical election activities, and ensuring that military personnel, the elderly, and the disabled are not denied their right to vote, this legislation would strengthen people’s faith in the way we elect our public officials.” Background The Pennsylvania Voter Protection Act (HB 1318) has been passed by both chambers in the General Assembly, but has been threatened with a veto by Governor Ed Rendell. The legislation seeks to improve the election process in Pennsylvania by ensuring that every voter has access to the polls and has his or her vote fairly counted. The bill includes provisions to: - Require that all absentee ballots cast by military personnel serving overseas be counted. - Ensure that senior citizens and persons with disabilities have access to polls. - Protect voters and poll workers from harassment and intimidation at the polls. - Increase public confidence in the process by requiring voters to present some form of identification at the polls. ### |
