FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 6, 2021 | Contact: Prudence Robertson, probertson@sbalist.org (240) 672-2828
Washington, D.C. – Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf (D) has vetoed H.B. 1300, the Voting Rights Protection Act. Introduced by Representative Seth Grove (R), this comprehensive election integrity and security legislation would increase voter access and help bolster fair and transparent elections in Pennsylvania.
The legislation contains key provisions overwhelmingly supported by Pennsylvania voters. According to the latest Franklin & Marshall College poll, 81% of respondents favor signature matching for mail-in ballots, including 88% of Independents and 64% of Democrats. Photo identification requirements are favored by 74% of respondents, including 77% of Independents.
Pennsylvania’s attorney general, Josh Shapiro (D), praised the governor’s veto:
“…[I]t’s because we have Democrat Governor Tom Wolf in the Governor’s office that their voter suppression legislation won’t become law. His veto pen will stop this bill — and we’ve got to hold onto that veto pen,” Shapiro said.
National Chairman of the Election Transparency Initiative and former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli issued the following statement:
“There’s a reason why common-sense voter integrity measures such as photo I.D. and signature verification for mail-in ballots are so popular – they help ensure a fair, secure, and transparent system of elections voters can trust. Not only did the Wolf-Shapiro veto put them at odds with their constituents on these key protections, but they also thumbed their noses at measures to bolster voter access, including expanded voter registration deadlines, reduced wait times at polling places, assistance for disabled voters, enhanced training and higher pay for election workers, and so much more.
“Make no mistake, the Wolf-Shapiro veto put party politics before the people who should come first. Governor Wolf and AG Shapiro should put their pen and platform to use by supporting legislation giving people confidence that it’s easy to vote and hard to cheat in our elections, not by doubling down on a system where it’s easy to cheat and hard to prove.”
The Voting Rights Protection Act would increase voter access and improve ballot security, transparency, and accountability by adding:
- County-issued voter ID protections
- Signature verification to verify voter eligibility
- A Bureau of Election Audits
- Updated procedures to help voters with disabilities
- Faster lines at polling places
- Enhanced training and higher pay for election workers
- State funding to help pay for elections
- Poll observer protections
- Penalties for attempting to intimidate an election official
- Expanded voter registration deadline (15 days to 30 days before election)
- Drop box security
- Voter list maintenance
Recent polling shows the majority of voters, including Black and Hispanic as well as urban and independent voters, overwhelmingly support voter I.D. protections and want it to be easy to vote and hard to cheat.
The Election Transparency Initiative, a partnership between American Principles Project (APP) and the national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List), was organized to combat H.R. 1/S. 1 and advocate for state-based election reforms that voters can trust.
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