State Rep. Chris Rabb to introduce legislation allowing for electronic petitioning for candidates

HARRISBURG, March 29 -- State Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila, plans to introduce legislation that would allow candidates for elective office to collect signatures needed for their nomination petitions electronically versus solely by handwritten signatures.

This legislation would triple the number of signatures required to run for any office and would require political candidates to collect at least five signatures in every subdivision of a district.

It also would direct the secretary of the commonwealth to create an internet portal for qualified voters to access and sign a nomination petition for a candidate in all state, federal and local offices.

“This legislation would bring our nomination process into the 21st century,” Rabb said. “It would modernize and much improve the candidate petitioning process for candidates, voters and government employees while promoting a more efficient, cost-effective and equitable way of encouraging civic engagement.”

March 28 was the last day to circulate and file petitions for the May 17 primary election.