Voting Reform Package Emerges In Harrisburg

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Legislation heading toward a vote in Pennsylvania would overhaul some aspects of how voters cast ballots while delivering much of the money counties need to buy voting machines ahead of next year’s presidential election.  A measure that emerged Monday from closed-door negotiations would eliminate the ballot option for straight party-ticket voting, let any voter mail in a ballot and move the voter registration deadline closer to the election.  It’s part of a deal to approve $90 million in aid for voting machines that Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf wanted counties to buy.  The new bill doesn’t deliver all of Wolf’s election-reform priorities.  Republicans wanted to eliminate the straight-party voting option, amid worries that suburban Republican lawmakers will suffer from a voter backlash against President Donald Trump next year.