Local legislator’s bill would stop cross-filing for political offices
A local state representative has co-sponsored legislation that would eliminate the practice of candidates cross-filing in certain races.
State Rep. Matthew Dowling, R-Uniontown, said the bill would amend the state’s election code, which allows candidates to obtain signatures to appear on both the Democrat and Republican tickets in the primary and general elections.
“Currently, the Pennsylvania Election Code of 1937 allows candidates seeking to run for school board, county court of common pleas and district judges to file nomination petitions for multiple political parties that have become increasingly partisan,” Dowling said. “House Bill 1987 would provide greater transparency for voters by eliminating the ability for all candidates for public office to cross-file their nomination petitions.”
Dowling was joined by the bill’s co-sponsor, State Rep. Justin Simmons, R-Lehigh/Montgomery/Northampton, on Tuesday to further explain the bill at a Harrisburg press conference.
Both said positions on school boards, judges and magisterial district judges were originally intended to be nonpartisan, but with the advent of a hyper-partisan political system, those positions have become so.
“We have to be kidding ourselves to say there isn’t partisanship in politics,” Simmons said. “You can’t even watch a football game without politics coming up.”
Dowling said abolishing the act of cross-filing would let each voter know what political ideology a candidate espouses.
“This is an additional point of information when making these very important decisions,” Dowling said.
Simmons said he has been advocating against cross-filing for some time, as members of his community have told him that they signed a nominating petition for someone who had a far-left lean on issues, but was “masquerading” as a Republican.
“Eliminating cross-filing for all candidates would provide more clarity for voters and better representation in those that hold important positions,” Dowling agreed.
Simmons acknowledged the impacted offices may have been apolitical 30 years ago, but said they’ve become inherently political due to tax money being spent by school boards and redistricting decisions being made by judges.
“This will help (voters) know who they’re actually electing,” Simmons said.
Dowling, who represents parts of Fayette and Somerset counties, said the bill is expected to be considered by the House State Government Committee.