State House Republicans vote for election procedures study

HARRISBURG, PA. » Republicans in the state House on Wednesday pushed forward on party lines a proposal for a review of election procedures in Pennsylvania, although its author insisted he accepts voting results and is not trying to overturn them.

GOP members of the State Government Committee all voted for the measure, despite arguments from Democrats that any “confusion” over voting procedures — the basis for the resolution — had been caused by the committee itself.

“The confusion that we see, if there’s any confusion, was caused by inaction of this very committee,” said Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta.

Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled General Assembly were unable to reach a deal before the election that would have let counties begin to prepare ballots for counting before Election Day.

The result was days of counting what was more than 2 million mail-in ballots. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democrat, won Pennsylvania in a key step toward his national win.

“This is not about outcomes,” said Rep. Jesse Topper, R-Bedford, who introduced it Tuesday. “This is about our process moving forward.”

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and county commissioners of both parties had repeatedly asked the Legislature to act, and it’s unclear how the General Assembly might want to revise the election law next year.

Democrats called the proposed study needless and a waste of money, and argued it improperly mandates participation from the Department of State and county officials. They said requiring cooperation has to be passed as legislation rather than as a resolution.

The resolution, which does not require approval by the Senate or governor, was sent to the House floor with only days left in the session and a long delayed state budget debate ahead.