Pennsylvania ballots on Primary Day 2021, May 18th, will include a series of ballot questions that allow voters to weigh changes to the PA state constitution. Anyone, regardless of party affiliation, may vote on these questions.
We urge you to VOTE NO, NO, YES on the first three questions on your ballot!
QUESTION 1: VOTE NO
WHAT IT SAYS
“Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to change existing law and increase the power of the General Assembly to unilaterally terminate or extend a disaster emergency declaration…?”
IN PLAIN ENGLISH…
The first question on your PA Primary ballot is asking whether partisan legislators should be able to terminate a governor’s existing emergency declaration, like the one being used now to fight the pandemic.
This amendment would allow partisan politicians to derail nonpartisan emergency response. It could even put Harrisburg gridlock in the way of health experts and first responders.
VOTE NO to keep partisan politics out of Pennsylvania’s disaster response.
QUESTION 2: VOTE NO
WHAT IT SAYS
“Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to change existing law so that: a disaster emergency declaration will expire automatically after 21 days… unless the General Assembly takes action…?”
IN PLAIN ENGLISH…
Just like the first, the second question on your 2021 PA Primary ballot is asking whether power should be stripped from health experts, emergency responders, and the governor to put it in the hands of the gridlocked PA legislature.
In this case, the amendment would automatically terminate emergency declarations after just three weeks, and only the legislature would have the power to extend or renew emergencies.
If this amendment were already in place, it’s likely that lifesaving pandemic measures like food assistance, rent support, and more would have ended over a year ago — resulting in the loss of life or home for thousands more Pennsylvanians.
VOTE NO to keep partisan politics out of Pennsylvania’s disaster response.
QUESTION 3: VOTE YES
WHAT IT SAYS
“Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended by adding a new section providing that the equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged because of an individual’s race or ethnicity?”
IN PLAIN ENGLISH…
The third question on your 2021 PA Primary ballot asks whether the state constitution should specifically prohibit the denial of equal rights based on race or ethnicity.
This amendment offers additional protection against laws or policies that would deny Communities of Color their legal rights. It codifies the progress many Pennsylvanians have fought for for so long.
While widely spread social media posts suggest this amendment will create unforeseen civil rights vulnerabilities, top attorneys and lawmakers have advised this is FALSE. Leading justice organizations like the ACLU support this measure.
VOTE YES to help ensure equal rights under the law for all Pennsylvanians.
These important ballot questions show the value of voting in every single election! Please share this guidance with fellow PA voters and ask them to vote No, No, Yes with you.
Polls are open from 7 AM until 8 PM on Tuesday, May 18th. You can also vote from home by requesting your mail ballot right now!