Section 3146.1 - Qualified absentee electorsThe following persons shall be entitled to vote by an official absentee ballot in any primary or election held in this Commonwealth in the manner hereinafter provided:
(a) Any qualified elector who is or who may be in the military service of the United States regardless of whether at the time of voting he is present in the election district of his residence or is within or without this Commonwealth and regardless of whether he is registered or enrolled; or(b) Any qualified elector who is a spouse or dependent residing with or accompanying a person in the military service of the United States if at the time of voting such spouse or dependent is absent from the municipality of his residence: Provided, however, That the said elector has been registered or enrolled according to law or is entitled, under provisions of the Permanent Registration Law as now or hereinafter enacted by the General Assembly, to absentee registration prior to or concurrently with the time of voting; or(c) Any qualified elector who is or who may be in the service of the Merchant Marine of the United States if at the time of voting he is absent from the municipality of his residence: Provided, however, That the said elector has been registered or enrolled according to law or is entitled, under provisions of the Permanent Registration Law as now or hereinafter enacted by the General Assembly, to absentee registration prior to or concurrently with the time of voting; or(d) Any qualified elector who is a spouse or dependent residing with or accompanying a person who is in the service of the Merchant Marine of the United States if at the time of voting such spouse or dependent is absent from the municipality of his residence: Provided, however, That the said elector has been registered or enrolled according to law or is entitled, under provisions of the Permanent Registration Law as now or hereinafter enacted by the General Assembly, to absentee registration prior to or concurrently with the time of voting; or(e) Any qualified elector who is or who may be in a religious or welfare group officially attached to and serving with the armed forces if at the time of voting he is absent from the municipality of his residence: Provided, however, That the said elector has been registered or enrolled according to law or is entitled, under provisions of the Permanent Registration Law as now or hereinafter enacted by the General Assembly, to absentee registration prior to or concurrently with the time of voting; or(f) Any qualified elector who is a spouse or dependent residing with or accompanying a person in a religious or welfare group officially attached to and serving with the armed forces if at the time of voting such spouse or dependent is absent from the municipality of his residence: Provided, however, That the said elector has been registered or enrolled according to law or is entitled, under provisions of the Permanent Registration Law as now or hereinafter enacted by the General Assembly, to absentee registration prior to or concurrently with the time of voting; or(g) Any qualified elector who expects to be or is outside the territorial limits of the several States of the United States and the District of Columbia because his duties, occupation or business require him to be elsewhere during the entire period the polls are open for voting on the day of any primary or election or who is or who may be a civilian employee of the United States outside the territorial limits of the several States of the United States and the District of Columbia, whether or not such elector is subject to civil-service laws and the Classification Act of 1949 and whether or not paid from funds appropriated by the Congress, if at the time of voting he is absent from the municipality of his residence: Provided, however, That said elector has been registered or enrolled according to law or is entitled, under provisions of the Permanent Registration Law as now or hereinafter enacted by the General Assembly, to absentee registration prior to or concurrently with the time of voting; or(h) Any qualified elector who is a spouse or dependent residing with or accompanying a person who expects to be or is outside the territorial limits of the several States of the United States and the District of Columbia because his duties, occupation or business require him to be elsewhere during the entire period the polls are open for voting on the day of any primary or election or who is a spouse or dependent residing with or accompanying a person who is a civilian employee of the United States outside the territorial limits of the several States of the United States and the District of Columbia, whether or not such person is subject to civil-service laws and the Classification Act of 1949 and whether or not paid from funds appropriated by the Congress, if at the time of voting such spouse or dependent is absent from the municipality of his residence: Provided, however, That the said elector has been registered or enrolled according to law or is entitled, under provisions of the Permanent Registration Law as now or hereinafter enacted by the General Assembly, to absentee registration prior to or concurrently with the time of voting; or(i) Any qualified war veteran elector who is bedridden or hospitalized due to illness or physical disability if he is absent from the municipality of his residence and unable to attend his polling place because of such illness or physical disability regardless of whether he is registered and enrolled; or(j) Any qualified registered and enrolled elector who expects to be or is absent from the municipality of his residence because his duties, occupation or business require him to be elsewhere during the entire period the polls are open for voting on the day of any primary or election; or(k) Any qualified registered and enrolled elector who because of illness or physical disability is unable to attend his polling place or operate a voting machine and secure assistance by distinct and audible statement as required in section 1218 of this act; (l) Any qualified registered and enrolled elector who is a spouse or dependent accompanying a person employed in the service of this Commonwealth or in the service of the Federal Government within the territorial limits of the several States of the United States and the District of Columbia in the event the duties, profession or occupation of such person require him to be absent from the municipality of his residence; or(m) Any qualified elector who is a county employe who cannot vote due to duties on election day relating to the conduct of the election; or(n) Any qualified elector who will not attend a polling place because of the observance of a religious holiday: Provided, however, That the words "qualified absentee elector" shall in nowise be construed to include persons confined in a penal institution or a mental institution nor shall it in anywise be construed to include a person not otherwise qualified as a qualified elector in accordance with the definition set forth in section 102(t) of this act.
1937, June 3, P.L. 1333, art. XIII, § 1301, added 1951, March 6, P.L. 3, No. 1, § 11. Amended 1963, Aug. 13, P.L. 707, § 20 effective 1/1/1964; 1968, Dec. 11, P.L. 1183, No. 375, § 4; 1972, Dec. 6, P.L. 1405, No. 301, § 1; 1986, May 5, P.L. 150, No. 47, § 3, imd. effective; 1990, Dec. 17, P.L. 681, No. 169, § 5, effective in 60 days; 1998, Feb. 13, P.L. 72, No. 18, § 14, imd. effective.