Smart Talk: Are voting reforms needed in PA?

What to look on Smart Talk Monday, November 23, 2015:

Voter turnout for the election held earlier this month in Pennsylvania was under 25%.  That means less than a quarter of the electorate decided the men and women who would serve as judges, county commissioners, and mayors.   It was what is generally referred to as an “off-year” election.  Voters usually come out in higher numbers when they are voting for president or governor.

However, in 2012 when President Obama was elected to a second term, Pennsylvania ranked 29th in the country in voter participation.

A coalition of advocacy and community groups wants to make voting easier and more convenient.

Keystone Votes — The Coalition for Modern Elections is campaigning for optional vote by mail, in-person early voting, same-day registration and youth preregistration.

We’ll discuss the proposals on Monday’s Smart Talk with Ray Murphy, Deputy Director of PA Voice, Stephanie Monahon, Director of PennPirg, and Susan Carty, president of the Pennsylvania League of Women Voters and Barry Kauffman Executive Director of Common Cause Pennsylvania.