Under current law, pre-canvassing of absentee and mail-in ballots cannot begin until 7a.m. on Election Day.  “Pre-canvass” is defined in the Election Code as the inspection and opening of all envelopes containing official absentee ballots or mail-in ballots, the removal of the ballots from the envelopes, and the counting, computing, and tallying of the votes reflected on the ballots.  It does not include the recording or publishing of the votes reflected on the ballots.
 
With more and more people voting by mail-in ballot, tabulating ballots and releasing election results is taking county boards of elections much longer.  In House State Government Committee hearings, we heard from numerous experts, including county election officials from both parties, who testified that our state should allow counties to pre-canvass mail and absentee ballots much earlier than the morning of the election.  Many believe that delays in tabulating election returns can lead to voter suspicion and unfounded conspiracies.
 
Allowing counties to pre-canvass mail ballots would significantly expedite the availability of election results.  Legislative action is needed to give counties the time they need to address the enormous volume of mail-in ballots expected to be cast in future elections, especially upcoming presidential elections.  We need to ensure that Pennsylvania does not become a national embarrassment on Election Day.
 
Join me in improving the efficiency of our state election process.