Voting access in Pennsylvania has been the subject of significant executive-action changes in recent years. With the implementation of various executive orders, the state has charted a path toward making registration easier, reducing barriers, and streamlining the process.
In this article you’ll learn what the key executive orders are, how they affect eligible voters, how automatic voter registration works, and what legal and practical implications you should keep in mind.
Understanding the Executive Orders on Voting Access in Pennsylvania
In March 2021, Joe Biden signed Executive Order 14019 (“Promoting Access to Voting”), which directed federal agencies to collaborate with states and localities to expand opportunities for voter registration and participation. This order laid a federal foundation for states, like Pennsylvania, to pursue improved voting access.
On September 7, 2022, then-Governor Tom Wolf signed a Pennsylvania executive order requiring several state agencies to make voter registration materials and information broadly available across state parks, libraries, and other public venues. The order aimed to reach the estimated 1.7 million Pennsylvanians who were eligible but not yet registered.
Then most notably, on September 19, 2023, Josh Shapiro as Governor formally implemented automatic voter registration (AVR) in Pennsylvania. Under this policy eligible residents obtaining or renewing their driver’s license or state ID at a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) driver or photo license center are automatically directed into the voter registration application process—unless they opt out. This moved the state into the company of the two-dozen states that have embraced AVR.
How These Measures Affect You as a Voter
If you are a Pennsylvania resident, citizen, at least 18 on election day, and have been a resident for 30 days or more, here’s what the changes mean for you:
- When you visit PennDOT to apply for or renew a driver’s license or ID, you will automatically be asked whether you wish to register to vote or have your information used to update your registration—so you no longer must fill out a separate paper form at a later time.
- State agencies such as the Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, and state parks are now required to provide access to voter registration materials and link to the online registration portal.
- These changes eliminate certain manual steps and reduce the risk your registration might be delayed by paperwork, helping you get your name on the voter rolls faster and with fewer hurdles.
- The 2021 federal executive order adds a layer of coordination across agencies, meaning federal-state collaboration aims to reduce barriers around registration, data sharing, and outreach.
Why This Matters for Pennsylvania’s Democracy
Pennsylvania is a key swing state in national elections. Ensuring that eligible residents can easily register and vote is critical to upholding the integrity and inclusiveness of the democratic process. Automatic registration helps increase participation: studies in other states show that AVR often leads to noticeable increases in eligible voters being added to the rolls and higher voter turnout.
By streamlining the registration process, Pennsylvania’s AVR move improves the equity of elections—especially benefiting people who might skip registration because of busy schedules, repeated address changes, or confusion about how to register manually. The state’s move to require agencies to distribute registration materials more broadly also helps reduce informational barriers for under-served communities.
Key Benefits and Practical Advantages
- Time savings: You don’t have to fill out a separate paper voter-registration form if you qualify through a PennDOT transaction.
- Data accuracy and security: Because the driver-license application already verifies identity, age, and citizenship, the AVR process builds on secure existing data, meaning fewer manual errors for your registration.
- Wider access points: State parks, libraries, and other public venues now carry voter registration materials—so you can register while pursuing other activities rather than making a special trip.
- Reduced registration gaps: With an estimated 8.7 million registered voters in Pennsylvania and over 10.3 million eligible residents as of December 2022, the AVR process targets reducing the registration gap.
Legal and Political Challenges to the Executive Orders
Even as these reforms roll out, they’ve faced legal and political challenges. A group of 24-27 Republican state lawmakers in Pennsylvania filed a federal lawsuit challenging the AVR implementation by Governor Shapiro as well as aspects of the federal executive order. They argued that state legislative power was usurped by executive action.
The federal court dismissed the challenge in March 2024, ruling that the lawmakers lacked standing. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal in October 2024—meaning the AVR policy stands.
These legal reviews highlight a key point: changes to voting access often raise questions about the interplay of state law, federal directives, constitutional elections-clause issues and the proper reach of executive authority. For you as a voter, the takeaway is that while the reforms are in place now, the legal landscape continues to be shaped.
Things You Should Do to Take Advantage
- If you are eligible and visit PennDOT for a license or ID renewal, make sure to answer the AVR prompts and confirm or update your address and registration info.
- If your address, name or other information changed, you’ll want to proactively check your voter registration status at the official registration portal.
- Use makeup-time to encourage family, friends or neighbors who haven’t registered yet—especially younger voters, newly naturalized citizens or others who may not yet be on the rolls.
- Stay attentive to election deadlines: although registration is streamlined, you still must meet residency and age requirements and complete any opt-out or confirmation details as required by law.
- Know that reforms don’t replace your active choice: you always retain the right to make sure your registration is correct, and you can update, opt out or re-affirm your registration as needed.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next in Pennsylvania Voting Access
Going forward, Pennsylvania has multiple opportunities to build on the foundation of these executive orders:
- Expanding early in-person voting or pre-canvassing of mail ballots could further enhance accessibility.
- Ensuring multilingual support and outreach for communities with limited English proficiency—AVR already included prompts in multiple languages for the first time.
- Strengthening auditing, transparency and accessibility of voter rolls and election processes to continue building trust among voters of all affiliations.
- Monitoring turnout and registration data: as the reforms take full effect, tracking how many new voters register and how many of them cast ballots will be key indicators of success.
- Remaining vigilant about legal changes: as the political and legal environment evolves, staying aware of state and federal election-law developments is wise for informed voters.
What This Means for You
If you’re a Pennsylvania resident, the executive order-related changes mean that registering to vote and keeping your registration current are now easier than ever. You benefit from streamlined procedures, enhanced access points, and fewer bureaucratic hurdles. At the same time, you should remain proactive: don’t assume your registration is perfect—check your status, update when necessary, and be aware of deadlines.
In a state as electorally significant as Pennsylvania, each eligible voter plays an out-sized role. These reforms aim to remove obstacles so that you and your neighbors can make your voice heard with minimal friction.
Moreover, by understanding the legal grounding and implementation of these executive orders, you strengthen your role not just as a participant but as an informed stakeholder in the democratic process.
Final Thoughts
The Pennsylvania voting access landscape has shifted significantly via executive orders championing automatic voter registration, expanded agency outreach, and federal-state collaboration on registration.
These are not just policy changes—they are structural reforms that make real differences for eligible voters. You have the right, the tools, and the simplified options now. Make use of them, stay informed, and engage actively in your democracy.
