Pending Legislation up on the Hill
We Oppose Senate Bill 1108
We Support House Resolution 56
We Oppose Senate Bill 1108
Senators Boscola, Fontana, Costa and Stefano introduced Senate Bill 1108, Printers No. 1364 calling for county commissioners to appoint Judges and Inspectors of Elections. Senate Bill 1108 was referred to the State Government Committee, which we presume is DOA, as the State Constitution Art. 7, § 11 requires Judges and Inspectors be elected.
We Oppose House Bill 476
We Support House Resolution 56
We Oppose Senate Bill 1108
Representative Webster and others introduced House Bill 476, Printers No. 459, which strips Inspectors of Elections of their authority to appoint Clerks and provides that such Clerks be appointed by the County Board of Elections. Inspectors of Elections are competent to appoint their own clerks, in significant part, because they already know civic-minded neighbors.
We Support House Resolution 56
We Support House Resolution 56
We Oppose Certain Provisions in House Bill 1396
Representative Webster and others introduced House Resolution 56, Printers No. 501, directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct research, primarily on how to minimize wait time at the polls. PSAEBO supports this effort and will likewise commence research. Moreover, PSAEBO will be promulgating Best Practices to help speed up the line at the polls. However, the reality is the larger the ballot, the more time the voter needs. Whether there are differences in wait times in inner-urban voting districts is a matter requiring everyone's attention.
We Oppose Certain Provisions in House Bill 1396
We Oppose Certain Provisions in House Bill 1396
We Oppose Certain Provisions in House Bill 1396
Speaker McClinton and others introduced House Bill 1396, Printers No. 1688. While the State Association believes the Bill's overall provisions are excellent, Section 412.2 setting Judges and Inspectors compensation at a flat $175 won't fly, because the State Constitution, Art. 3, § 27 prohibits change in compensation during one's term of office. Secondly, pay should be increased, not decreased, but we will have to wait until 2029 to address the increase in compensation. We also oppose Section 1210, which eliminates the requirement that provisional ballots be signed by the Judge and Minority Inspector. We know our neighbors and can more easily detect unqualified voters.
We Oppose Certain Provisions in House Bill 1217
We Oppose Certain Provisions in House Bill 1396
We Oppose Certain Provisions in House Bill 1217
Representative Grove and others introduced House Bill 1217, Printers No. 1365. The amendment to Section 401 requiring all vacancies in district election boards two months prior to the election is unrealistic. An inspector might get ill the weekend before election. Curbside elections cures any election-day vacancy and the county board of elections routinely communicate with judges and inspectors to ensure their presence at the polls. PSAEBO will be adopting best practices to ensure judges of elections monitor appearances and vacancies, so that County Board of Elections can make last-minute appointments.
Judges and Inspectors are Entitled to an Annual COLA
Election Board Officers, no less than all other PA Public Officials, are entitled to an Annual Cost
Under the Public Official Compensation Law, 65 P.S. § 366.3(e), the Governor, Lt. Governor, Legislators, Judges, Cabinet members, and Members of Boards and Commissions get an annual Cost of Living Adjustment ("COLA"). Judges and Inspectors of Elections are entitled to the same respect. After all, not only are Judges and Inspectors of Election Public Officials, we are also Constitutional officers.
* Under the PA Election Code, 25 P.S. § 2682.2, Judges and Inspectors are paid anywhere from $75 to $200 per election. Additional compensation is authorized for attending training, and Judges are given an additional sum for picking up and returning election material.
* If the PA Minimum Wage is $7.25 a hour, those counties who pay their district election boards on the low end, get $4.16 to $3.75 an hour. Only those counties (i.e. Chester, Philadelphia) who pay their district elections at the top end, get $13.80 to $12.50 an hour. Ironically, the extra compensation Judges are entitled under 25 P.S. § 2682.2(a.2) for picking up and returning election materials means they get paid less per hour than the Inspectors. And mind you, this doesn't include the incidentals that Judges and Inspectors pay out of pocket, like meals for the entire Election Board.
* While the State Association is currently conducting a survey to determine Election Board pay per county, AI suggests the average compensation ranges from $175 to $250 an election.
* Under the State Constitution, Art. 3, § 27 the compensation of Judges and Inspectors (like the Governor, Legislators and Judges) cannot be increased during the term of office. But if these public officials ARE entitled to a COLA, Judges and Inspectors are likewise entitled to a COLA.
* Vacancies in District Election Boards plague the entire Commonwealth. Otherwise civic-minded citizens don't want to put in an 18-20-hour day. But the integrity of our Elections deserves more. Judges and Inspectors of Election are entitled to COLAs.
