Bill > HB703

This bill proposes constitutional amendments to create an elected position of Secretary of the Commonwealth in Pennsylvania. Specifically, the bill establishes that the Secretary of the Commonwealth will be directly elected by voters during the same election as the Auditor General, State Treasurer, and Attorney General. The elected official would serve a four-year term starting on the third Tuesday of January following their election, with a limit of two consecutive terms. The Secretary would be designated as the Commonwealth's chief elections officer and would be required to be a U.S. citizen at least 30 years old who has resided in Pennsylvania for seven years preceding the election. The bill also adds this new position to existing constitutional provisions regarding qualifications and disqualification for state offices, including restrictions on holding other federal or state offices simultaneously. Additionally, the bill outlines the procedural steps for implementing these constitutional amendments, which include advertising the proposed changes and submitting them to voters as a single ballot question at an appropriate election. If approved, the current appointed position of Secretary of the Commonwealth would become a vacant elected position to be filled through the new election process.

Government Affairs

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=703