Making Sense Of Today’s Ballot Questions When Voting

Tuesday is Primary Day here in Pennsylvania!

If you have not already submitted a mail in ballot, please make sure you get out to the polls tomorrow to vote for judicial, municipal, and school board races. Local races have some of the largest direct impact on our lives. Critical decisions about how our communities operate usually happen at the local level, and we need everyone to participate in the electoral process.

Additionally, on Primary Day, everyone will be eligible to vote on the ballot questions that are being put forward on a statewide level. This includes people who are not registered with a party.

The ballot questions are as follows.

“Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to change existing law and increase the power of the General Assembly to unilaterally terminate or extend a disaster emergency declaration—and the powers of Commonwealth agencies to address the disaster regardless of its severity pursuant to that declaration—through passing a concurrent resolution by simple majority, thereby removing the existing check and balance of presenting a resolution to the Governor for approval or disapproval?”

In this measure, a “no” vote would result in no change at all. The governor’s seat would retain the power to declare and resolve an emergency order based on his existing executive authority defined in the Pennsylvania state constitution. A “yes” vote here would support changing the rules to allow the legislature to determine when/if an emergency is over.

I have previously shared my views on this measure here, in response to an editorial from state Sen. Bob Mensch, which can be viewed here.

The next ballot question asks:

“Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to change existing law so that: a disaster emergency declaration will expire automatically after 21 days, regardless of the severity of the emergency, unless the General Assembly takes action to extend the disaster emergency; the Governor may not declare a new disaster emergency to respond to the dangers facing the Commonwealth unless the General Assembly passes a concurrent resolution; the General Assembly enacts new laws for disaster management?”

Again, a “no” vote would result in no change to the state constitution and the governor’s seat would retain the power to mitigate and manage an emergency declaration based on a timeline he sees as appropriate. A “yes” vote would automatically end an emergency after 21 days regardless of what is occurring in the commonwealth, unless the state legislature voted to extend it.

The third question asks:

“Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended by adding a new section providing that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged because of an individual’s race or ethnicity?”

A “no” vote here would result in no change to the state constitution. A “yes” vote would result in new language that specifically bans racial and ethnic discrimination in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The fourth (and last) ballot question reads:

Do you favor expanding the use of the indebtedness authorized under the referendum for loans to volunteer fire companies, volunteer ambulance services and volunteer rescue squads under 35 PA.C.S. §7378.1 (related to referendum for additional indebtedness) to include loans to municipal fire departments or companies that provide services through paid personnel and emergency medical services companies for the purpose of establishing and modernizing facilities to house apparatus equipment, ambulances and rescue vehicles, and for purchasing apparatus equipment, ambulances and rescue vehicles, protective and communications equipment and any other accessory equipment necessary for the proper performance of the duties of the fire companies and emergency medical services companies? 

A "yes" vote supports expanding the state's loan program for volunteer fire companies and ambulance services to also include municipal fire companies and EMS services. A "no" vote opposes expanding the state's loan program, meaning the program would remain available to volunteer fire companies and ambulance services but not municipal fire companies and EMS services, according to BallotPedia.

Please make sure you plan to vote Tuesday and participate in this important process! If you do not know where to vote, please go here.