Rep. Stanley submits testimony in support of the VOTES Act

In a letter to the Joint Committee on Election Laws Joint Committee on Election Laws, Rep. Stanley supported legislation to make permanent pandemic-era voting and ballot access changes such as no-excuse mail-in voting: H.805/S.459, legislation fostering voting opportunities, trust equity and security (VOTES Act) and H.834, a bill to expand voting options.

Last year the legislature passed legislation to ensure a safe and effective election during the pandemic, which offered voters no-excuse voting by mail available to all voters; early voting for primary election and expanded early voting periods for the general election; allowed local clerks to tabulate ballots prior to election day; and pre-addressed envelopes to voters, so their applications go directly to their clerk’s office. Rep. Stanley filed H.834 to extend these measures to all future state and local elections. The VOTES ACT includes many of these same measures as well as allowing same-day registration during early voting periods. Studies after studies have found same-day registration to be safe with the potential to increase voter turnout as much a 7%. Over 20 states have same-day registration laws on the books and improved technology will help the Commonwealth implement our own program.