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Seventy's nonpartisan poll finds statistical tie 

Seventy’s poll in the Philadelphia mayoral election found a statistical tie in what many suspected was a neck-and-neck race to be the city’s 100th mayor. With only two and a half weeks to go, a survey of likely Democratic voters found Rebecca Rhynhart, Cherelle Parker, Helen Gym and Allan Domb to be only several points apart. But 20% of respondents were undecided, so the importance of every voter weighing in on May 16 couldn’t be more clear. “These results make clear what we knew all along: that every vote matters,” said Lauren Cristella, Seventy’s interim president and chief operating officer. “We want every eligible voter to vote, to be informed when they vote, and to vote with confidence.” See our press release for full poll results.

Ranking the candidates: Pollsters also asked respondents to vote for their favored candidates in order of preference, a system known as ranked-choice voting. The outcome was similar to the conventional horse race results, with Rebecca Rhnyhart barely out ahead and with Parker, Gym and Domb close behind. This is still anyone’s race.

What is RCV? (And how it can work for Philly)

With more than seven Democrats for every one Republican, a primary election in Philadelphia is almost always the election that matters. The status quo system of primary and general elections isn’t working anymore, and the sheer number of mayoral candidates is also highlighting the flaws of our elections being “first-past-the-post.” Whoever gets the most votes wins, even if the candidate falls well short of a majority. Proponents of ranked-choice voting (RCV) argue that, because voters can rank candidates in order of preference, the eventual winner will always be a consensus candidate who’s garnered support from the majority of voters. Billy Penn has more on the ins and outs (and pros and cons) of RCV.

The Last Word on the mayor’s race: Seventy will host a candidate forum on Thursday, May 4 (7-8:30 pm) for mayoral candidates that will give voters a chance to focus on the big issues two weeks before the election. Register.

Promising start in Harrisburg

This week, the PA House State Government Committee advanced a bill that would allow county election boards to start processing mail-in ballots up to seven days before election day. It would also prevent ballots returned without a secrecy envelope or handwritten date from being rejected. But the proposal would also, notably, allow voters to request mail-in ballots in-person at their local election office up to the day before the election—a big change from the current seven-day deadline. The committee passed the bill with a party-line vote, but it could offer a starting place for discussions around an election reform package ahead of yet another presidential election where Pennsylvania will be in the spotlight.

Let all voters vote: Sens. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton) and Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) introduced a bipartisan bill that would open PA’s currently closed primaries to the state’s one million independent voters. Similar bills have failed in the last four legislative sessions, but “each time the tide has come a little further in on the beach,” Ballot PA chair David Thornburgh told WGAL’s PA Newsmakers. He noted that both parties could benefit from open primaries next year, so “this time the tide could come all the way in.”

Register to vote or check your voter registration status by May 1st. The deadline for requesting a mail-in ballot is next Tuesday, May 9. If you want a mail-in ballot, apply now online. And get ready to vote with C70’s Interactive Voter Guide. Type in your address for information on the statewide judicial elections as well as the local races and ballot questions in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties.

Chief Democracy Officer: Philly needs an official to coordinate citywide efforts to “tackle barriers to voting, maximize turnout, and ensure that democracy is equally applied to all,” C70 senior director of external affairs Ashley Session writes in a Smerconish.com essay.

Sidelined: The Inquirer reports that a court-approved agreement will keep the super PAC aligned with mayoral candidate Jeff Brown from engaging in further activity until after the May 16 primary. The Ethics Board’s charge that Brown illegally coordinated with the PAC before he announced his candidacy remains on the table.

There oughta be a law: City & State PA editor Jenny DeHuff outlines why she thinks civics education should be mandatory in middle and high schools. Here’s how C70’s Civics Education initiative is investing in the future of Pennsylvania’s democracy.

A penny for your thoughts on billions of dollars: Inquirer business columnist Joseph DiStefano wonders why the mayoral candidates aren’t talking more about how they’d approach the city’s biggest expense: funding for Philly’s 30,000 retirees and their survivors. 

Campaign for Qualified Judges 2023 Election Day Volunteer

Are you looking for a way to make a meaningful impact this Election Day? Join the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Campaign for Qualified Judges to distribute the Bar’s ratings of judicial candidates to voters as they head to the polls. Research shows that getting the Bar Association’s ratings in the hands of voters has a real, tangible impact on the outcome of elections. Volunteers are needed across the city for both the morning (7-10 am) and evening (5-8 pm) shifts. Sign up.

Teachers: Prepare your students for the May primary 

Draw the Lines resources are still live on our website, as are numerous civic education resources for schools across PA. This includes our Election 101 briefings, the PA Mock Election, our K-8 Democracy for Kids program, and Can We Talk? civil dialogue initiative. Learn more and get your students involved.

So You Want to be Poll Worker

Philadelphia needs poll workers, especially those who speak Spanish and Mandarin, to assist voters on election day. Sign up for any of our Poll Worker 101 information sessions and learn how you can help ensure a smooth election in your community.

Seventy's membership program broadens, diversifies, and expands our community of champions of local democracy. Become a member and receive notification about Event signups, Annual Membership Impact Reports, C70 swag and Invitations to members-only experiences and receptions.