Pennsylvania 2021 ballot measures
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As of February 20, 2021, three statewide ballot measures were certified to appear on the ballot on May 18, 2021, in Pennsylvania.
Contents
On the ballot
| Type | Title | Subject | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Equal Rights Regardless of Race or Ethnicity Amendment | Constitutional | Prohibits denial or abridgement of rights on account of an individual's race or ethnicity |
| LRCA | Emergency Declarations Amendment | Executive | Addresses the governor's emergency powers, including requiring legislative approval to continue beyond 21 days |
| LRCA | Legislative Resolution to Extend or Terminate Emergency Declaration Amendment | Legislature | Empowers the legislature to extend or terminate a emergency delcaration by resolution |
Potential measures
| Type | Title | Subject | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Lieutenant Governor Selection Amendment | Exec | Provides that candidates for governor pick their lieutenant governor candidate for general election ticket |
| LRCA | Eliminate Separate Ballot Requirement for Judicial Retention Elections Amendment | Elections | Eliminates the separate-ballot requirement for judicial retention elections |
| LRCA | No-Excuse Absentee Voting Amendment | Elections | Removes excuses needed for absentee voting from state constitution |
| LRCA | Districts for State Supreme, Superior, and Commonwealth Court Elections Amendment | Judiciary | Organizes the state supreme, superior, and commonwealth courts into representative districts |
Getting measures on the ballot
Citizens
In Pennsylvania, citizens do not have the power to initiate statewide initiatives or referendums. Voters of Pennsylvania have never voted on a ballot measure to authorize a statewide initiative and referendum process.
Legislature
The Pennsylvania State Legislature can refer statewide ballot measures, in the form of constitutional amendments, to the ballot in odd-numbered years and even-numbered years. The Pennsylvania Constitution requires a simple majority vote (50%+1) in each legislative chamber during two successive legislative sessions to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 102 votes in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and 26 votes in the Pennsylvania State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
The state legislature can refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot in just one legislative session with a two-thirds vote of each chamber when a major emergency threatens or is about to threaten the state, according to the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Historical facts
- See also: List of Pennsylvania ballot measures
Between 1995 and 2019, the following occurred:
- A total of 17 measures appeared on statewide ballots.
- An average of one measure appeared on odd-year ballots.
- The number of measures appearing on statewide ballots ranged from zero to three.
- Voters approved 100 percent (17 of 17) of statewide ballot measures.
| Legislatively referred constitutional amendments, 1995-2019 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number | Approved | Percent approved | Defeated | Percent defeated | Odd-year average | Odd-year median | Odd-year minimum | Odd-year maximum | |
| 17 | 17 | 100.0% | 0 | 0.00% | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0 | 3 | |
Not on the ballot
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Childhood Sexual Abuse Retroactive Lawsuits for Two-Year Period Amendment | Trials | Creates a two-year period for legal actions arising from childhood sexual abuse that have otherwise exceeded the statute of limitations | 
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See also
External links
