Assembly eyes open primaries, end to straight ticket voting

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania voters would be able to vote in primaries even if they aren’t Democrats or Republicans and have easier absentee ballot deadlines under election law changes being considered by the Legislature.

The Senate on Tuesday voted 42 to 8 on Tuesday for a bill that would let unaffiliated voters decide which major party primary they want to cast their ballot in.

The Senate also voted 30-20 to end straight ticket voting that lets people cast all their votes for a single party.

The House subsequently teed up a bill with a set of election rule changes and could pass it as early as Wednesday.

The House bill would prohibit the administration from decertifying voting machines in most counties without reporting details to the General Assembly six months beforehand.