Bill O’Boyle: Pa. Secretary of State: Know your rights at the polls

Oct. 27--WILKES-BARRE -- Acting Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar this week encouraged Pennsylvania voters to educate themselves about their rights before they go to the polls on Nov. 5.

"Voters enjoy certain protections under state and federal law," Boockvar said. "They can learn about their rights at votesPA.com. The Department of State is committed to protecting every eligible Pennsylvanian's constitutional right to vote."

Here are some important tips regarding voter rights in Pennsylvania:

--Only first-time voters, or those voting for the first time in a new precinct, must show ID. Acceptable ID includes both photo and non-photo ID. Registered first-time voters who do not bring ID to the polls can return with identification or must be offered a provisional ballot.

--If a voter's name is not in the poll book, poll workers should call their county Board of Elections to see if the voter's name was left out of the poll book inadvertently. Registered voters who are in the wrong precinct polling place should go to the correct polling place to vote. A voter who believes he or she is registered in the precinct and should be listed in the poll book may cast a provisional ballot.

--Voters who have moved within Pennsylvania, but did not update their address in time before the election, may vote one more time in their previous precinct, as long as they update their address at the polling place.

--If 50 percent or more of the voting machines at a polling place are not working, voters have the right to use an emergency paper ballot. Poll workers should immediately offer the ballots but, if they do not, voters should request one rather than leave without voting.

--If a voter is challenged on the basis of identity or residency, the voter may vote normally by signing a challenge affidavit and producing a witness who is also a registered voter in the precinct to vouch for them. If the voter cannot or does not want to produce a witness, the voter may cast a provisional ballot.

--Voters have the right to assistance at the polling place, including foreign language or literacy assistance. A voter may select any person to assist as long as the person is not their employer, union representative or the Judge of Elections.

--Voters do not need to be designated as "assistance permitted" in the poll book to receive help. A person who wants assistance will be asked to sign an Assistance Declaration at the precinct, unless the poll book already indicates "assistance permitted."

--Voters have the right to refuse assistance.

--Voters have the right to vote without being subjected to intimidation, harassment or discriminatory conduct. A voter who experiences intimidation should report it to the County Board of Elections and the District Attorney's office. Voters can also call the Department of State at 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772) or the U.S. Department of Justice's Voting Section at 1-800-253-3931.

The Department of State provides voter rights information in two brochures: "Voter Guide. FAQ About Voting in Pennsylvania" and "Top 5 Things Every Pennsylvania Voter Should Know."

"Voters can download and print their own copy of these brochures to take with them to the polling place," Boockvar said. "It is important that voters know what to expect, what their rights are and who to contact if an issue arises."

Voters can use the state's official online services to:

--Confirm their registration.

--Locate their polling place.

--Determine their congressional, state senate and state house districts.

--Find other information.

POW/MIA bill heads to

President for signature

Bipartisan legislation co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Pat , R-Lehigh Valley, to honor prisoners of war and those missing in action is on the verge on becoming law.

The National POW/MIA Flag Act requires the POW/MIA flag to be flown with the American flag at certain memorials and federal buildings, including the White House and U.S. Capitol.

"Over 82,000 American service members have been listed as POW/MIA or unaccounted for as a result of our nation's wars and conflicts," Toomey said in May. "Permanently displaying the POW/MIA flag at certain landmarks is a small but important way to honor these heroes while serving to remind their families that we, as a nation, will never forget."

The bill passed through both chambers of Congress and now President Donald Trump must sign it into law.

"We owe it to those service members and their families to ensure that our nation never forgets their sacrifices," Toomey said.

Toomey said under current law, the POW/MIA Flag is required to be displayed by the federal government on certain prominent federal properties only six days a year: Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day and Veterans Day.

PA invests $10M to support

early childhood educators

Gov. Tom Wolf announced this week that his administration will make a $10 million investment in Pennsylvania's children through a workforce development program that will help early childhood workers gain valuable credentials and advance their professional careers.

"It's imperative that we support early childhood workers with career training and advancement opportunities," Wolf said. "For their own fulfillment, to retain skilled employees and, most importantly, to provide the youngest Pennsylvanians with the very best start on their educational and developmental journey."

Two professional development organizations that specialize in access to credit-bearing coursework and credentials for the early childhood education (ECE) workforce have been selected to work with the departments of Human Services' and Education's Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) on this priority.

Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) was selected for the Philadelphia and Southeast (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties) regions.

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania was selected for the Central, Northeast, Northwest, and Southwest regions.

OCDEL will redirect the $10 million of federal funds to implement a system of professional development that will transform the ECE workforce in each region. The Early Care and Education Professional Development Organizations (ECE PDOs) will work with the Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRCs) to improve the quality of ECE programs to more effectively educate young children and to meet the specific needs of their region's ECE workforce through low- to no-cost credit-bearing programs.

These funds are in addition to the substantial investment committed to high-quality early learning programs for Pennsylvania's youngest citizens made in Governor Wolf's 2019-2020 budget, including:

--$15 million in federal funds to reduce the child care subsidy waiting list and enable access to high-quality child care for 970 infants and toddlers;

--$5 million in state funds and $1.8 million in federal funds to support a 3 percent rate increase for early intervention programs, allowing providers to stay competitive as they recruit and retain qualified staff to support program enrollment;

--$10 million in federal funds to provide a 28 percent increase for infant and toddler daily tiered reimbursement rates for STAR 2, 3, and 4 child care providers;

--$2 million in federal funds to support an apprenticeship model specifically for infant and toddler teachers to achieve their associate degree; and

--$5 million in state funds to allow an additional 800 families to receive evidence-based home visiting services.

Wolf also has proposed a minimum wage increase for all working Pennsylvanians. A wage increase for child care workers is an important step towards ensuring that wages for early childhood educators are keeping up with growing educational requirements and the cost of living, reducing staff turnover for child care providers, and maintaining a strong child care workforce that gives children a strong start that will carry through education and adulthood.

For information on early childhood education services available in Pennsylvania, visit www.dhs.pa.gov or www.findchildcare.pa.gov.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.

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