Pennsylvania Statutes § 3055 Method of marking ballots and depositing same in districts in which ballots are used

Statute Text

(a) In districts in which ballots are used, the elector, after receiving his ballot, shall retire to one of the voting compartments, and draw the curtain or shut the screen or door, and shall then prepare his ballot.

(b) At primaries, the elector shall prepare his ballot in the following manner: He shall vote for the candidates of his choice for nomination or election, according to the number of persons to be voted for by him, for each office, by making a cross (X) or check ( ) mark in the square opposite the name of the candidate, or he may insert by writing [,] or stamping [or sticker,] in the blank space provided therefor, any name not already printed on the ballot, and such insertion shall count as a vote without the making of a cross (X) or check ( ) mark. In districts in which paper ballots or ballot cards are electronically tabulated, stickers or labels may not be used to mark ballots.

(c) At elections, the elector shall prepare his ballot in the following manner: He may vote for the candidates of his choice for each office to be filled according to the number of persons to be voted for by him for each office, by making a cross (X) or check ( ) mark in the square opposite the name of the candidate, or he may insert by writing [,] or stamping [or sticker,] in the blank spaces provided therefor, any name not already printed on the ballot, and such insertion shall count as a vote without the making of a cross (X) or check ( ) mark. In districts in which paper ballots or ballot cards are electronically tabulated, stickers or labels may not be used to mark ballots. If he desires to vote for every candidate of a political party or political body, except its candidates for offices as to which he votes for individual candidates in the manner hereinafter provided, he may make a cross (X) or check ( ) mark in the square opposite the name of the party or political body of his choice in the party column on the left of the ballot, and every such cross (X) or check ( ) mark shall be equivalent to and be counted as a vote for every candidate of a party or political body so marked, including its candidates for presidential electors, except for those offices as to which he has indicated a choice for individual candidates of the same or another party or political body, by making a cross (X) or check ( ) mark opposite their names in the manner hereinabove provided, as to which offices his ballot shall be counted only for the candidates which he has thus individually marked, notwithstanding the fact that he made a mark in the party column, and even though in the case of an office for which more than one candidate is to be voted for, he has not individually marked for such office the full number of candidates for which he is entitled to vote. If he desires to vote for the entire group of presidential electors nominated by any party or political body, he may make a cross (X) or check ( ) mark in the appropriate square at the right of the names of the candidates for President and Vice-President of such party or body. If he desires to vote a ticket for presidential electors made up of the names of persons nominated by different parties or political bodies, or partially of names of persons so in nomination and partially of names of persons not in nomination by any party or political body, or wholly of names of persons not in nomination by any party or political body, he shall insert , by writing or stamping, the names of the candidates for presidential electors for whom he desires to vote in the blank spaces provided therefor under the title of the office "Presidential Electors." In case of a question submitted to the vote of the electors, he may make a cross (X) or check ( ) mark in the appropriate square opposite the answer which he desires to give.

(d) Before leaving the voting compartment, the elector shall fold his ballot, without displaying the markings thereon, in the same way it was folded when received by him, and he shall then leave the compartment and exhibit the ballot to one of the election officers who shall ascertain by an inspection of the number appearing upon the right hand corner of the back of the ballot whether the ballot so exhibited to him is the same ballot which the elector received before entering the voting compartment. If it is the same, the election officer shall direct the elector, without unfolding the ballot, to remove the perforated corner containing the number, and the elector shall immediately deposit the ballot in the ballot box. Any ballot deposited in a ballot box at any primary or election without having the said number torn off shall be void and shall not be counted.

History

Amended by P.L. TBD 2019 No. 77 , § 3.2 , eff. 10/31/2019 .

1937, June 3, P.L. 1333, art. XII, § 1215. Amended 1960, Jan. 8, P.L. (1959) 2142, § 3.

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