RECLAIM PHILADELPHIA BALLOT GUIDE - NOVEMBER 8, 2022
RECLAIM PHILADELPHIA BALLOT GUIDE - NOVEMBER 8, 2022
The general election on Tuesday November 8 is critical for protecting our rights and fighting for a future to believe in. Reclaim Philadelphia members made a number of endorsements in the spring. In addition, in some races where we have not endorsed, the Steering Committee is providing voting recommendations based on our political analysis and the guidance of our allies. Steering Committee recommendations are noted with an asterisk.
UNITED STATES SENATOR
John Fetterman (#101)*
The Steering Committee recommends John Fetterman as the best choice in this race. In the U.S. Senate, Fetterman’s would be an additional seat held by Democrats that could tip the balance to protecting reproductive rights, pushing for criminal legal reform, increasing wages, and supporting unions. A victory for Mehmet Oz would be a clear defeat for these goals. In particular, Oz’s position on abortion is that it should be a decision made by “a woman, her doctor and local political leaders,” and he won’t commit to voting against a national ban on abortions. An Oz victory could give Republicans control of the Senate and eliminate any potential of passing meaningful good federal legislation.
In addition, Fetterman has staked out progressive positions on universal healthcare, unions, taxing the rich, and increasing wages, and used his role as the Lt. Governor to fight for second chances for incarcerated people. Corporate PACs and Republican politicians don’t like these policies, and are running fear mongering ads rooted in anti-Black racism against him. A loss for Fetterman would be a defeat for criminal legal reform and progressive priorities, and will be used by corporate elements in and out of the Democratic Party to mercilessly attack progressives. Vote for John Fetterman.
GOVERNOR
Josh Shapiro (#102)*
The Steering Committee recommends Josh Shapiro as the best choice in the Governor’s race. He is a supporter of unions, abortion rights, higher wages, and expanded health care. His veto is critical to protecting our basic rights from attack by a likely GOP-held PA House and Senate. In particular, the right to bodily autonomy is on the ballot this year for people who can become pregnant and trans students in PA schools. Shapiro has proven that he will defend reproductive rights, has committed to vetoing any anti abortion legislation passed by the Republican majority state legislature and has denounced attacks on trans students.
Shapiro’s opponent Doug Mastriano is an extremist who participated in the January 6 attack, plans to radically defund our public schools, and would ban all abortions with no exceptions for rape or incest. He denies the 2020 election results, and has promised to appoint a Secretary of State who would certify Trump as the 2024 winner in PA regardless of what voters decide.
We view this election as harm reduction while we fight for the world we want. In Pennsylvania, the biggest threat is Mastriano and the far right that he represents.
We do wish to highlight one especially positive area of Shapiro’s platform, developed from listening to our Mass Liberation allies and State Senator Nikil Saval. Shapiro agreed to support:
Geriatric and medical parole.
An end to long-term parole and supervision.
Opposition to new mandatory minimums.
Maintaining the moratorium on the death penalty.
PA STATE HOUSE
PA STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 182
Ben Waxman (#105)
PA STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 184
Elizabeth Fiedler (#105)
PA STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 188
Rick Krajewski (#105)
PA STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 190
G Roni Green (#105)*
PA STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 194
Tarik Khan (#105)
PA STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 200
Chris Rabb (#105)
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL ELECTIONS
Four City Council special elections are happening concurrent with the general election, due to resignations of four members running for mayor. Two are at-large seats, and two are district seats (districts 7 and 9). Replacement for all four of these seats will be won by nominees appointed by the Democratic Party establishment in a closed-door process that shuts out voters. The majority of the establishment’s picks come from the same offices or political circles of the council members who resigned.
We believe that candidates who serve us on City Council should be picked by the voters in Philadelphia with an emphasis on record, values, and vision. If you share that belief, now’s the time to get involved organizing for next May’s primary, when these seats will all be up for election again. Please join our Electoral Strategy Taskforce to fight for city councilmembers backed by the movement and accountable to voters
BALLOT QUESTIONS
Read the full Ballot Question language here. Reclaim Philadelphia’s Steering Committee offers these recommendations after reviewing the positions of allied organizations, wards, labor unions, and information and reporting from the Committee of 70, Billy Penn, and the Inquirer.
Ballot Question #1
VOTE YES to create a standalone Philly Department of Aviation to streamline airport-related operations. Our allies on City Council and union organizations representing workers at the airport support this change.
Ballot Question #2
VOTE YES to give Philly School District Career Technical Education graduates a small preference on civil service entrance exams. We believe that this change will make city jobs more accessible to graduates from Philly public schools.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT VOTING
The voter registration deadline for the November 8 General Election has passed.
If you have been impacted by the carceral system, you can still vote: as long as you aren’t in prison or jail for a felony conviction or haven’t committed election fraud within the last four years.
If voting in person: Polls are open 7am to 8pm on Election day Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Find your polling location here. Photo ID is not required to vote unless it is your first time voting in your current division. If you requested a mail-in ballot but have changed your mind you will still need to surrender your mail-in ballot and all related envelopes in order to vote at the polls. If you have any problems you can always request to vote by provisional ballot. Wear a mask and observe social distancing inside the polling place. If you are in line by 8pm you are legally allowed to vote.
If voting by mail: The deadline to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot is Tuesday November 1st. You still need to apply to receive a mail-in ballot even if you received one last year. You can apply for a mail-in ballot here. To ensure that it arrives in time, we advise you to drop off your mail-in ballot at the Board of Elections in City Hall or the closest 24/7 Ballot Drop Off Box by 8pm on Election Day, not your polling place.
Make your mail-in ballot count: 1) Mark your ballot with a black or blue pen. 2) Seal it in the secrecy envelope. 3) Seal the secrecy envelope into the return envelope. Ballots without the secrecy envelope will not be counted! 4) Sign and date the return envelope.
Get all your voting resources for the upcoming election and reclaim your vote here!
Reclaim Philadelphia’s Steering Committee is a leadership team directly elected by Reclaim Philadelphia members to two-year terms. See the current membership that was recently elected on October 17th at the bottom of this page.