Information on voter registration will now be available at more places in Pennsylvania.
Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday signed an executive order to expand access for eligible state residents to obtain voter registration information whenever they do business with commonwealth agencies.
“We are proud of the free and fair elections held here in the commonwealth, and that would not be possible without first providing convenient, accessible opportunities for every eligible citizen to register to vote,” the governor said during a press event at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. “That’s why I’m designating seven additional state agencies to provide their clients with materials and information on voter registration.”
Wolf said the move will help support the dedicated county officials and thousands of local poll workers who do their part every election to ensure that anyone who wants to exercise their right to vote can do so.
The executive order builds on the requirements of the federal National Voter Registration Act of 1993 that mandates that certain state agencies are required to provide voter registration opportunity to clients with whom they interact.
Under the order, an additional seven agencies and programs will now be required to provide voter registration materials and information to their clients:
• Department of State will provide information at bureau of elections, bureau of professional and occupational affairs, and bureau of corporations and charitable organizations locations.
• Department of Agriculture will provide information at events at the Farm Show Complex.
• Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will provide information at the 121 state park office locations.
• Department of Corrections will provide information in connection with bureau of community corrections services.
• Department of Education will provide information at library locations.
• Department of Labor and Industry will provide information at CareerLink offices.
• Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will provide information at state veterans homes.
Wolf was joined at the press event by secretaries and representatives of the newly designated agencies, as well as voting rights advocates from across the commonwealth.
“With 1.7 million Pennsylvanians who are eligible to vote but are not yet registered, it will be no small task to reach those individuals before the November election,” Acting Secretary of State Leigh Chapman said. “I thank this administration for recognizing that by collaborating with our state and federal partners to make that effort possible.”
Under the new order, the agencies must make available to their clients and customers critical voter education materials including an official voter registration mail application that is not specific to any county election office, an accompanying envelope and instructions explaining where the completed voter registration application should be sent. They must also display nonpartisan signs in highly visible areas to indicate that official voter registration materials are available on-site.
The agencies and programs must also provide a link to the Department of State online voter registration application on their website until they can integrate the voter registration application into their own customer portals.
In addition, the order designates September as Voter Registration Month and encourages state agencies to collaborate with the Department of State to further promote voter registration.
Source: Berkshire mont
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