Westmoreland Review

Rep. Jill Cooper from Westmoreland expressed her opposition to a legislative proposal intended to revise election laws, following procedural actions by House Democrats late Wednesday night. She criticized the process, stating it lacked transparency and silenced Pennsylvania citizens.

Cooper remarked, "I have no problem hearing out someone’s ideas even if they are different from mine. But Pennsylvania has rules and a specific process to make legislative proposals accessible to other House members and the public." She emphasized that amending a bill late at night without adequate review time undermines transparency.

The initial purpose of the bill was to reschedule the 2024 primary election due to its conflict with Passover. Cooper acknowledged this as an important discussion but opposed changing the date at this stage, citing concerns about fairness and election security.

She voiced strong opposition to proposed changes such as permanently enrolling mail-in voters, eliminating audits, and removing mail-ballot security measures. Cooper insisted on transparency in policy-making, urging that bills be made public well before votes are scheduled during regular House hours.

Despite some Democrat peers exercising better judgment leading to the bill's defeat, Cooper noted that a motion to reconsider keeps it active. She stressed the importance of careful revisions to election laws with input from constituents.

Following the vote on Senate Bill 224, House Republicans held a press conference.