Harrisburg, Pa. (WENY)-- Pennsylvania House lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday afternoon that makes changes to the state’s election code. It didn’t come without heavy opposition from Democrats. But ultimately, House Bill 2626 advanced through the Republican-led House by a vote of 110-92. It calls for various changes to the mail-in ballot process.

“It is a step forward to ensure that our elections with this mail-in voting is done as clean and pure as possible,” says Rep. Dan Moul (R- Adams), sponsor of HB2626.

The bill would move the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot to 15 days before an election. The current deadline is 7 days. Another change would allow counties to start pre-canvassing mail-in ballots three days before an election. It’s currently only allowed starting at 7:00am on election day.

“What this bill does do is provides access while ensuring the integrity and privacy of the voting process,” says Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R- Centre, Mifflin), the House Majority Leader.

House Bill 2626 also clarifies where mail-in and absentee ballots may be returned other than through the postal service. That includes your County Board of Elections office, your polling place, or your county courthouse. However, it essentially outlaws the use of ballot drop boxes. Legality issues concerning drop boxes were raised several times during debate.

“Drop boxes are not in the election code. So technically speaking, any drop boxes that anyone put out there have been illegal. They are not approved in our election code. So it’s not like we’re taking something away from you in this bill,” says Rep Moul.

Many Democrats disagree, arguing ballot drop boxes are legal. The fact that this bill takes out the availability of drop boxes is a big reason many Democrats voted against the bill.

“It’s clear, according to our election code, that the county’s board of elections can set up secure drop boxes to collect the absentee ballots if they deem it’s necessary for them to be able to do their jobs,” says House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D- Allegheny).

Another provision of the bill allows poll workers to work at polling sites in any of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

House Bill 2626 was approved 110 to 92. It now moves to the Senate for consideration, where the top two Republican lawmakers in that chamber have introduced their own version of this bill. Jenn Kocher, the spokeswoman for the Senate Republican Caucus says: “We’ve always said we are more than willing to work together to accomplish the changes needed. We look forward to reviewing the final bill we receive from the House.”

It is worth noting Governor Wolf is against the bill as it currently stands.