Direct Response Memo
Maria Hernandez plans to run as a candidate during the next election. She would like to send poll watchers to the election site to observe the voting and the opening of the ballots. Under Pennsylvania election law, will Ms. Hernandez be able to send poll watchers?
appoint two watchers for each election district in which such candidate is voted for." 25 Pa. Cons. Stat. S 2687(a) (2020). However, only one watcher per candidate at primaries and one watcher per political party or body at general elections can be present in the polling place at any one time from when election officers meet before polls open until the vote counting is
locked and sealed. Id. s 2687(b). Here, because Ms. Hernandez is a candidate, she can appoint two watchers for each election district where she is on the ballet; however, only one of her watchers can be present at the election site.
Poll watchers must be qualified registered voters of the county where their appointed election district is located. Id. In Pennsylvania, a qualified registered voter has (l) reached the age of eighteen, (2) been a United States citizen for at least one month, (3) resided in the State ninety days immediately preceding the election, and (4) resided in the election district
preceding the election. 25 Pa. Cons. Stat. S 28ll (2020). Poll watchers receive a certificate if they meet these requirements. S 2687(b). Here, if Ms. Hernandez ensures her appointed poll
Recently, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that election county boards cannot reject absentee or mail-in ballots based on
In re Nov. 3, 2020 Gen. Election, 240 A.3d 591, 603 (Pa. 2020).
certiorari. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently also held that campaign representatives cannot enter the satellite election
Phila. Cnty, Bd. of Elections, No. 983, 2020 Pa. Commw. Ct. LEXIs 512, at *25 (0ct. 23, 2020). Finally, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently upheld the constitutionality of the residency requirement for poll watchers. Pa. Democratic Party v. Boockvar, 238 A.3d 345, 369 (Pa. 2020).