Major poll presents decisions for Pennsylvania | Information, Sports activities, Jobs

There are no national and only a few state polling stations in the primaries on May 18, but there is something for everyone. As three constitutional amendments have to be proposed and a state referendum has to be passed, independent voters and third party voters are part of this election.

The predominantly local elections include those seeking seats on community councils, community leaders, and school boards. This year, a handful of county row offices are being challenged, including treasurers, registrars, and sheriff posts in Mifflin and Juniata counties.

Mifflin County voters have county judges up for re-election. Juniata County’s voters, along with Perry County’s voters, will select candidates for Common Pleas Court judgeships in the 41st judicial district shared by the two counties . District candidate).

Judges are the only state offices elected this year. The judges of the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court, and the Commonwealth Court must be selected.

Where permissible, many of the candidates have signed up as both Democrats and Republicans, meaning that some of the races could be decided this month rather than November unless a successful enrollment campaign is carried out.

Here are the four statewide voting questions any registered voter can vote on regardless of their political affiliation (including no affiliation), and what they mean:

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Are you in favor of expanding the use of referendum-approved debt for loans to voluntary fire-fighting companies, voluntary rescue services and volunteer rescue workers under 35 PA.CS 7378.1 (in connection with the referendum for additional debt) to raise loans to local fire departments or businesses? provide the services by paid personnel and rescue service companies in order to set up and modernize facilities for the accommodation of equipment, ambulances and rescue vehicles as well as to purchase equipment, ambulances and rescue vehicles, protective and communication equipment as well as other necessary accessories for the proper fulfillment of the tasks of the fire brigade and rescue service company?

What it means: Voters set up a loan program for all volunteer fire and rescue companies in 1975 and have since expanded it three times (open only to volunteers). This proposal would allow municipal fire departments or companies with paid employees and rescue service companies to apply for loans from the pre-existing program. There would be no additional debt to taxpayers. The loans can be used to set up or upgrade facilities to house fire extinguishers, ambulances and emergency vehicles. and for the purchase of new fire extinguishers, ambulances and rescue vehicles, protective and communication devices and other accessories that are necessary for the proper performance of the tasks of these organizations.

If you vote yes, companies with paid staff, including full-time professional businesses, can borrow from the same fund as volunteers.

If you vote no, the fund is still limited to voluntary companies.

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Should the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to add a new section that provides that equality under the law will not be denied or curtailed on the basis of an individual’s race or ethnicity?

Laws against these forms of discrimination exist, but are not anchored in the state constitution. In all 50 states, federal law (which replaces state law) makes it illegal to discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related illnesses), disability, age (40 years of age and over older), citizenship status and genetic information. In addition, Pennsylvania state law adds prohibitions against discrimination based on: GED in lieu of high school diploma, use of a service animal, and relationship or association with a disabled person; indicates that disabilities can be physical or mental; and defines the age range for discrimination as 40 to 70 years old.

State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia) proposed this election issue when protests against racial justice erupted last summer.

If you vote yes, a ban is added on denying equality to an individual based on race or ethnicity. Prohibition of explicit racial discrimination at the state level.

If you vote no, the constitution will not change. No existing anti-discrimination laws will be repealed or repealed.

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Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to change applicable law and increase the power of the General Assembly to unilaterally terminate or extend a disaster emergency statement – and the powers of the Commonwealth of Nations to regulate the disaster, regardless of its severity, under that statement address – by a simultaneous simple majority voting, which removes the existing scrutiny and balance of submitting a resolution to the governor for approval or disapproval?

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Should the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to change applicable law so that: a disaster emergency statement will automatically expire after 21 days, regardless of the severity of the emergency, unless the General Assembly takes action to extend the disaster emergency; The governor is not allowed to declare a new disaster in order to respond to the dangers of the Commonwealth unless the General Assembly decides at the same time. The General Assembly enacts new laws for disaster management?

These two proposed amendments, linked to each other and to the global coronavirus pandemic in 2020, would change the balance of power when it comes to emergency statements in Pennsylvania. Controversy arose when they were being written for the vote because the legislature who passed the amendments believed that the Pennsylvania State Department was using a language that should lead to a certain outcome.

The governor of Pennsylvania has sole power as the director general of the state to declare an emergency. Before the pandemic, for example, Governor Tom Wolf declared emergencies (sometimes referred to as disaster statements) in 2018 and 2019 due to storms and the opioid crisis. In some cases, government statements precede or follow similar federal action and / or entitle the state for additional federal financial assistance to limit the impact of the emergency. A decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court prevents lawmakers from ending an emergency without a two-thirds majority if the governor opposes such a resolution.

The declaration of emergency at the beginning of the pandemic ran for 90 days, but was temporarily extended for the same period – which means that it lasted more than a year. According to the declaration, the governor and executive have enacted business, education, and health care rules that are different than those without the declaration.

The first question would give the legislature the power to end a declaration by a simple majority (50% plus one vote). The governor is not allowed to veto. Currently, like any other bill, a veto against such a resolution requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers for it to be repealed. This question is also intended to require that government agencies carry out their mission in an emergency. During the current pandemic, some government agencies have declined to respond to requests from citizens, businesses and the media until the disaster declaration ends.

If you vote yes: Legislators can end a governor’s disaster declaration by a majority vote, and government agencies may need to continue working on the declaration. The governor retains the power to declare an emergency.

If you vote no: Legislature reserves the power to end an emergency with a majority vote and the approval of the governor or a 2/3 majority that overrides a governor’s veto.

The second question is to limit the original disaster declaration to 21 days instead of 90 days, and legislators must agree to extend it.

If you vote yes: the governor retains the authority to declare an emergency, but the time that the declaration is in effect is reduced. It can be extended, but only if the state parliament agrees.

If you vote no: The governor reserves the right to declare an emergency for up to 90 days. It can be extended by the governor after 90 days.

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