Gov. Tom Wolf is denouncing Harrisburg Republicans’ newly-introduced Voting Rights Protection Act (House Bill 1300). He said it’s a bill “disguised as election reform that is really about restricting the freedom to vote in retaliation for the outcome of the November election.”
“When it comes to voting rights, this is a watershed moment,” said Wolf. “There are two forces in our country – those fighting to protect our democracy, and those trying to undermine it. I stand on the side of democracy, in support of Pennsylvanians’ freedom to vote. Pennsylvania already has secure elections, but bad faith actors are spreading lies and disinformation and now those same people who spread those lies and encouraged the mob that attacked the Capitol are attacking the freedom to vote.
“I will not be lectured on the importance of election integrity by the same people who wrote a letter begging Congress to throw out Pennsylvanians’ lawfully cast votes only a few months ago.”
The governor said that while the House GOP bill has some areas of potential agreement around giving counties more time to pre-canvass ballots before the election so results are available sooner, increasing poll worker pay and requiring counties to use electronic poll books, which improve security and would enable same day registration, the legislation is “riddled with unacceptable barriers to silence voters” and, according to Wolf, “rolls back significant progress from the landmark, bipartisan election reforms in Act 77 enacted in 2019.”
