SB 99 | Banning drop boxes and satellite voting locations

Session: 2023-2024

ACLU-PA Position: Opposes

SB 99 (PN 438) would prohibit counties from providing drop boxes and satellite locations to voters. Instead, SB 99 would require voters to submit their ballot in person at the main county election office and give it to an employee at that primary office.

The ACLU-PA opposes SB 99 for the following reasons:

• Drop boxes and satellite offices provide voters with a secure way to submit their ballot. This is especially critical for those who vote close to Election Day and can’t be certain that the postal service will deliver their ballot on time.
• Banning drop boxes will cause hardship to rural voters and those with disabilities who may be able to get to a drop box to deposit their own ballot, but may have difficulty navigating to the county election office and/or who may not have anyone to designate as an agent.
• Secure drop boxes have been used in other states without incident for many years, and secure drop boxes have been used in Pennsylvania since 2020.

SB 99 is yet another needless and unjustifable attack on mail voting that intends to make it harder for Pennsylvanians to vote.

Check the bill's status here.