Voting and Elections
2024 Election Policies Preview: Pennsylvania
In advance of November’s election, MAP’s new “Election Policies Preview” series details voting and election policies in key states, including policies that impact who votes, policies that impact how to vote, and policies that protect the vote. This week, we are concluding the series with Pennsylvania.
Quick Facts About Pennsylvania
- Democracy Tally — 26th in the U.S. for voting and election policies
- 2020 Voter Registration Rate — 88.13%
- 2020 Presidential Election Voter Turnout Percentage — 71.1%
- 2020 Presidential Election Vote Margins — 81,000 votes (1.2%)
- 2020 Presidential Election Youth Voter Turnout — 54%
- 2022 Midterms Youth Voter Turnout — 31.7%
Pennsylvania’s Voting and Election Policies
Policies Impacting Who Votes
The Democracy Maps track policies related to voter eligibility and registration under the category of Who Votes. This category includes policies such as automatic and online voter registration, which work to determine the eligible electorate in each state. Who Votes also includes policies related to representation and participation, including rights restoration for formerly incarcerated people and the partisanship of state primary systems.
Automatic Voter Registration
Pennsylvania is one of 24 states that has some form of automatic voter registration (AVR). Specifically, Pennsylvania uses front-end, or partial AVR, which allows the voter an opportunity to opt-out of being registered at the time of the relevant agency transaction. Partial AVR is an improvement over traditional registration systems but is relatively less efficient than secure AVR. Pennsylvania’s AVR system was implemented administratively through the governor’s office in 2023; the new system has already resulted in a significant increase in new voter registrations in the state.
Voter Registration Deadlines
Pennsylvania is one of six states that sets registration deadlines between 1–16 days prior to Election Day. Pennsylvania’s registration deadline is 15 days prior to Election Day, meaning the state does not allow voters to register in the final two weeks leading up to Election Day, despite evidence that allowing Election Day registration increases access for voters and boosts turnout. Some of this impact may be lessened by the implementation of AVR in the state, but populations such as young voters will still lack the critical fail-safe of Election Day registration this November.
Policies Impacting How to Vote
The Democracy Maps track policies related to in-person and mail voting methods under the category of How to Vote. This category includes policies like early voting, voter ID requirements, and the availability of absentee or mail voting.
Voter ID Laws
Pennsylvania is one of 14 states and D.C. where voters are not required to present identification at the polls, but voter eligibility is verified through other means. Specifically, Pennsylvania voters must sign an affidavit and provide their address at the polling place.
There have been repeated attempts by Republicans in the state legislature to establish a strict voter ID requirement in Pennsylvania. In 2022, the legislature advanced a referred constitutional amendment which would have been on the ballot this year, but the measure was blocked during the 2024 legislative session.
Access to Ballot Boxes
Pennsylvania is one of 30 states where drop boxes are required or allowed to be used statewide and are broadly accessible. Drop boxes are a popular option with voters in Pennsylvania, especially after the state adopted no-excuse absentee voting in 2019.
But drop boxes have not been without controversy in the state. There have been multiple lawsuits challenging their use, and just last month, officials in Luzerne County were ordered to reinstate the use of drop boxes after unilaterally deciding to remove them.
Policies Protecting the Vote
The Democracy Maps track policies related to the independence, integrity and security of elections under the Protecting the Vote category. This category includes policies related to security like post-election audits, and policies such as laws allowing state legislatures to interfere in election administration that harm the independence and integrity of elections.
Post-Election Audits
Pennsylvania is one of 41 states that require the use of a post-election audit. Properly conducted, nonpartisan audits provide public confidence in election results and can also act as a safeguard against hacking and foreign interference.
In addition to traditional audits, Pennsylvania also conducts risk-limiting audits. These best practice audits use statistical methods to analyze random samples of ballots and verify the accuracy of election results. In a risk limiting audit, the size of the random ballot sample is increased until there is statistical and objective confidence in the election results.
Bans on Guns in Polling Places
Pennsylvania is one of 26 states that has no clear prohibition on the possession of firearms in polling places. The 2020 election cycle saw an alarming increase in reports of intimidation against voters and election officials. Guns at polling places, even if not used to commit violence, can be used to intimidate voters and election officials. Combined with the marked rise in threats and violent rhetoric around elections, the proliferation of firearms in our country represents an increasing danger for everyone participating in the voting process.
Much like the other states highlighted in our series, Pennsylvania also had a close margin in the 2020 election, with President Biden winning the state by just over a 1% margin. The state is currently forecasted by experts to be even closer in 2024 and may well decide the election.
Pennsylvania was also one of the last states to finish the initial counting of votes in 2020, with unofficial results taking almost four days after Election Day. This delay was in large part caused by a significant increase in the number of voters choosing to vote by mail, combined with state law that does not allow those mail ballots to be processed prior to Election Day. Unfortunately, the state is likely to see similar delays this November, as state lawmakers have repeatedly refused to pass legislation to allow the crucial pre-processing of ballots which could alleviate some of the backlog. In addition, Pennsylvania also saw several attempts in counties in 2022 to disrupt the certification process and request frivolous recounts, which if repeated could lead to additional delays.
