Bill No.__________
title
Motion expressing the sense of Council of Allegheny County urging the General Assembly to abolish straight party voting in elections held in Pennsylvania.
body
WHEREAS, the Pennsylvania Election Code, 25 P.S. Sec. 3007(b) requires that voters in all non-primary elections have the option to vote a “straight party” ticket; and
WHEREAS, such “straight party” voting entails the selection of a single lever in Allegheny County's current voting machines, and will also require only one operation to cast a vote for all candidates of a single party in any successor voting machines; and
WHEREAS, the mandate preserving the “straight party” ticket voting option cannot be changed at the County level; and
WHEREAS, “straight party” voting permits voters to cast their votes without any individualized consideration of the candidates for any offices in a given election, and indeed without even knowing the names of the candidates for offices contested in that election; and
WHEREAS, this potential for votes cast without consideration of the candidates' individual merits or position on issues in the campaign for elected office is contrary to the concept of an informed electorate casting well-considered votes for their candidate of choice, which should be a fundamental goal of the electoral process;
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS MOVED, AND IT IS THE SENSE OF THE COUNCIL OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, that it is the sense of this Council that the General Assembly should, with all appropriate speed, consider revising the Election Code such that the concept of “straight party” voting is abolished.
NOW THEREFORE IT IS FURTHER MOVED that the Chief Clerk shall transmit a copy of this Motion to the General Assembly.