Pennsylvania
A dated list of changes to how Americans vote: district maps, polling places and drop boxes, voting laws and rules, and courts and election officials. Each entry says who did what and when, shows what became of it, and links to the page it rests on. Attempts that failed are listed as failed. Entries that rest on a news report name the outlet.
This is the state view: events recorded for Pennsylvania, then national events that apply here. See the national timeline.
In Pennsylvania
2019
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Governor signs Act 77, creating no-excuse mail voting in Pennsylvania
The Joint State Government Commission reports that Senate Bill 421 was signed into law on October 31, 2019 as Act 77 (P.L. 552). It lets Pennsylvanians vote by mail up to 50 days before an election without an excuse, lets voters join a permanent mail ballot list, moves the registration deadline to 15 days before an election, ends straight-party voting and authorizes a $90 million bond to help counties buy voting systems with a paper trail. It passed the Senate 35 to 14 and the House 138 to 61.
Source last checked Oct 20, 2026
2016
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Federal determination requires election materials for the Hispanic language group in Berks County, Pennsylvania
The Director of the Census Bureau's notice, published in the Federal Register on December 5, 2016 (81 FR 87532), lists Berks County, Pennsylvania, as covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act for this language minority group: Hispanic. The notice says covered jurisdictions have a legal obligation to provide the minority language assistance that Section 203 prescribes; its table is titled bilingual election materials for voting rights. The county also appears in the 2021 notice.
- Federal Register notice, Voting Rights Act determinations under Section 203 (81 FR 87532, December 5, 2016) ↗
- Census Bureau Section 203 determination data files, 2016 ↗
Source last checked Oct 24, 2026
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Federal determination requires election materials for the Hispanic language group in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
The Director of the Census Bureau's notice, published in the Federal Register on December 5, 2016 (81 FR 87532), lists Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, as covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act for this language minority group: Hispanic. The notice says covered jurisdictions have a legal obligation to provide the minority language assistance that Section 203 prescribes; its table is titled bilingual election materials for voting rights. The county also appears in the 2021 notice.
- Federal Register notice, Voting Rights Act determinations under Section 203 (81 FR 87532, December 5, 2016) ↗
- Census Bureau Section 203 determination data files, 2016 ↗
Source last checked Oct 24, 2026
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Federal determination requires election materials for the Hispanic language group in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
The Director of the Census Bureau's notice, published in the Federal Register on December 5, 2016 (81 FR 87532), lists Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, as covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act for this language minority group: Hispanic. The notice says covered jurisdictions have a legal obligation to provide the minority language assistance that Section 203 prescribes; its table is titled bilingual election materials for voting rights. The county also appears in the 2021 notice.
- Federal Register notice, Voting Rights Act determinations under Section 203 (81 FR 87532, December 5, 2016) ↗
- Census Bureau Section 203 determination data files, 2016 ↗
Source last checked Oct 24, 2026
2012
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Pennsylvania enacts Act 18 of 2012, requiring photo identification to vote
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court cites the voter identification law as the "Act of Mar. 14, 2012, P.L. 195, No. 18." It wrote that the Voter ID Law "was signed into law by the Governor of Pennsylvania in March of this year" and that, for the November 2012 general election and later elections, "the legislation generally requires presentation of a photo identification card as a prerequisite to the casting of ballots by most registered voters." The law directed the Department of Transportation to issue identification cards at no cost to registered voters who swore they had no other proof of identification.
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
2011
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Federal determination requires election materials for the Hispanic language group in Berks County, Pennsylvania
The Director of the Census Bureau's notice, published in the Federal Register on October 13, 2011 (76 FR 63602), lists Berks County, Pennsylvania, as covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act for this language minority group: Hispanic. The notice says covered jurisdictions have a legal obligation to provide the minority language assistance that Section 203 prescribes; its table is titled bilingual election materials for voting rights. The county also appears in the 2016 notice.
- Federal Register notice, Voting Rights Act determinations under Section 203 (76 FR 63602, October 13, 2011) ↗
- Census Bureau Section 203 determination data files, 2011 ↗
Source last checked Oct 24, 2026
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Federal determination requires election materials for the Hispanic language group in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
The Director of the Census Bureau's notice, published in the Federal Register on October 13, 2011 (76 FR 63602), lists Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, as covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act for this language minority group: Hispanic. The notice says covered jurisdictions have a legal obligation to provide the minority language assistance that Section 203 prescribes; its table is titled bilingual election materials for voting rights. The county also appears in the 2016 notice.
- Federal Register notice, Voting Rights Act determinations under Section 203 (76 FR 63602, October 13, 2011) ↗
- Census Bureau Section 203 determination data files, 2011 ↗
Source last checked Oct 24, 2026
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Federal determination requires election materials for the Hispanic language group in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
The Director of the Census Bureau's notice, published in the Federal Register on October 13, 2011 (76 FR 63602), lists Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, as covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act for this language minority group: Hispanic. The notice says covered jurisdictions have a legal obligation to provide the minority language assistance that Section 203 prescribes; its table is titled bilingual election materials for voting rights. The county also appears in the 2016 notice.
- Federal Register notice, Voting Rights Act determinations under Section 203 (76 FR 63602, October 13, 2011) ↗
- Census Bureau Section 203 determination data files, 2011 ↗
Source last checked Oct 24, 2026
Nationwide
2019
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House passes Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019; no Senate vote follows
On December 6, 2019, the House passed H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019, by 228 to 187 (Roll no. 654). It was received in the Senate on December 9, 2019 and referred to the Judiciary Committee; the bill record lists no Senate vote, and it did not become law.
Source last checked Oct 31, 2026
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House passes For the People Act of 2019; no Senate vote follows
On March 8, 2019, the House passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2019, by 234 to 193 (Roll no. 118). The bill was received in the Senate on March 12, 2019 and placed on the Senate calendar; the bill record lists no Senate vote on passage, and it did not become law.
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
2018
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President signs Executive Order 13848 on foreign interference in U.S. elections
Executive Order 13848, dated September 12, 2018, imposes sanctions authority in the event of foreign interference in a U.S. election. The order says "there has been no evidence of a foreign power altering the outcome or vote tabulation in any United States election" and declares a national emergency over the threat of interference.
Source last checked Nov 1, 2026
How this timeline is built
Every entry rests on at least one source that was opened and read, and that source states the date and the fact. Courts, legislatures, election offices, the Justice Department, the Census Bureau, the Federal Register and Congress.gov come first. A news report is used only when no official page states the fact, and it is labeled with the outlet's name. Encyclopedias are not used as sources. History starts in 1965 with the Voting Rights Act. County names come from the Census Bureau's 2024 Gazetteer. Congressional district numbers are those in use for the 2026 election; an event is tagged to a district only when its source names that congressional district.
When a later event changes an earlier one, such as a law later struck down, both entries are listed and point to each other. This page does not predict outcomes or say which party a change helps. U.S. House maps for 2026 · How people voted in past elections, by county · Back to the 2026 voting center.