Reclaim Philadelphia Primary 2022 Ballot Guide
RECLAIM PHILADELPHIA BALLOT GUIDE: PRIMARY - MAY 17, 2022
Reclaim Philadelphia’s Steering Committee asks that you join us in supporting our endorsed candidates for State House and State Senate Tuesday, May 17, 2022. We’ve also detailed some recommendations for our members in races where our members haven’t endorsed and for the ballot questions.
ENDORSEMENTS
PA SENATE DISTRICT 8
Paul Prescod (#13)
PA HOUSE DISTRICT 182
Ben Waxman (#16)
PA HOUSE DISTRICT 184
Elizabeth Fiedler (#15)
PA HOUSE DISTRICT 188
Rick Krajewski (#16)
PA HOUSE DISTRICT 194
Tarik Khan (#16)
PA HOUSE DISTRICT 200
Chris Rabb (#15)
PA HOUSE DISTRICT 201
Andre Carroll (#15)
RECOMMENDATIONS
Many members and supporters have asked how to vote on some of the other races and ballot questions. The Steering Committee of Reclaim Philadelphia offers these recommendations based on the guidance of other organizations led by directly impacted leaders. See the detailed analyses below for more information. These are not formal Reclaim Philadelphia endorsements because our members did not vote on these recommendations. Reclaim’s Steering Committee has chosen to not issue recommendations in any Congressional races or in the Governor’s or Lt. Governor’s races this cycle.
PA HOUSE DISTRICT 10
Vote Cass Green (#16)
PA HOUSE DISTRICT 190
Vote Roni Green (#15)
UNITED STATES SENATE
Vote John Fetterman (#4) or Malcolm Kenyatta (#3)
Ballot Questions
Read full Ballot Question language here. Reclaim Philadelphia’s Steering Committee offers these recommendations after reviewing the positions of allied organizations and reported information in various public outlets..
Question 1 Vote YES to increase the Zoning Board of Adjustment from five to seven members. City Council would have to agree to members appointed by the mayor. The seven Board members would have to include: an urban planner, an architect, a lawyer with zoning experience, a person with experience in the construction industry, and at least two recognized leaders from community organizations. All Board members would also need to have shown sensitivity to community concerns regarding development and protection of the character of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods.
Question 2 Vote YES to remove gendered language from the City Home Rule Charter.
Question 3 Vote YES to remove gendered language from the Educational Supplement in the City Home Rule Charter.
Question 4 Vote YES to make the City’s Fair Housing Commission permanent.
Committee Person Candidates linked here!
Analysis of US Senate
In early February we asked our members “If the US Senate Election was held today, who would you vote for?” The results were tight with 41.3% voting for Fetterman, 37.9% supporting Kenyatta and 13.3% choosing to abstain. Because our membership is clearly divided and the risk of Conor Lamb or a Republican winning presents a threat to working people we are encouraging you to vote for either Malcolm Kenyatta or John Fetterman.
We recognize both Fetterman’s and Kenyatta’s strengths and weaknesses. Fetterman is running a strong campaign and is the clear frontrunner with the surest path to defeating both Conor Lamb and Dr. Oz, the Republican front runner who has been endorsed by Donald Trump. Fetterman is ahead in every poll and has out-fundraised all of the other candidates from both parties — from an impressive showing of small dollar contributions from across PA and the USA which indicates the breadth of his relationships statewide. Fetterman has used his role as the Lt. Governor to fight for second chances for those imprisoned. But the case against Fetterman is a strong one: Fetterman has failed to make amends for pulling a gun on Christopher Miyares, a Black jogger when he was the Mayor of Braddock, PA. And he’s chosen to not engage earnestly with many communities, including the Philadelphia Black Clergy, Reclaim Philadelphia and PA Stands Up chapters across the state. Many have critiqued him for avoiding debates in an apparent attempt to not have to answer for the shotgun incident.
Kenyatta is running an impressive campaign and has earned the support of many progressive elected officials and most notably, the Working Families Party. His lived experience as a gay Black man raised in North Philly would be invaluable in the Senate. However, we fear his campaign has not gained the traction and built the momentum it needs to win the Democratic primary. His fundraising efforts, while impressive, fall far short of other candidates. He’s also consistently polled behind other serious candidates. It’s worth noting that while Kenyatta is running a progressive campaign with a comprehensive platform, Kenyatta also has a history of working with the Chamber of Commerce and endorsing more conservative candidates when given the opportunity to support progressives.
The Philadelphia Democratic establishment has consolidated behind Conor Lamb in an attempt to defeat progressive organizing and prioritize the profits of the donor class over the needs of working people of all races across the state. Ultimately, we believe what is most important in this race is defeating Conor Lamb in the primary and defeating the Republican candidate in the general. Conor Lamb has one of the most conservative voting records in Congress and if elected to the Senate would continue this trend. Conor is running as a conservative and is attacking his rivals using Republican talking points (for example, calling Fetterman a socialist.) We can’t afford to have another Joe Manchin in the Senate. Should a Republican win this seat, a Republican controlled Senate blocks off the only potential passage for anything by any Democrat. Bernie Sanders is currently the Chair of the Senate Budget committee - and if Democrats lose the Senate that's no longer the case.
Ultimately, we see voting in this race as a strategic defensive act. The dynamics of elections are ever shifting and while Fetterman is currently the frontrunner — that could change. Vote for John Fetterman or Malcolm Kenyatta but weigh which has a better chance of defeating both Conor Lamb and the Republicans.
Analysis of PA House District 10
PA’s 10th State House District is a newly drawn district, created this year in redistricting – making this an open seat race with no incumbent technically running. The area is home to Drexel University and it is facing rapid gentrification and rising housing prices. Allowing longtime residents to stay in their homes and access to affordable housing are primary concerns. Amen Brown, current representative of the 190th District, re-registered in this new open district a few days after the new maps were released. Brown is best known for working closely with PA Republicans to propose a new mandatory minimum sentencing bill that the ACLU said “may be the worst criminal justice bill that we’ve seen.” Another candidate in the race is also pushing tough on crime solutions in response to community violence. Mandatory minimums and increased police surveillance doesn’t keep our communities safe; we do.
Luckily, there is also a wonderful candidate in the race. Cass Green has deep roots in the community and is running on a progressive platform, including Equitable Education for All, Healthcare for All, Housing for All, and criminal justice reform. Green launched her campaign with the support of Councilmembers Jamie Gauthier, Helen Gym and Kendra Brooks and District Attorney Larry Krasner. Had the redistricting process not been delayed, Green would have announced her candidacy earlier and Reclaim’s Steering Committee would have recommended her for endorsement, which she would likely have earned.
As it stands, Steering Committee strongly recommends voting for Cass Green for the 10th House District.
Analysis of House District 190
The 190th had long been plagued by State Representatives resigning in scandal — until Roni Green was elected in 2020. Unfortunately, she lost her primary fight against Amen Brown for the seat. Brown has now district-hopped to the open 10th District, and Roni Green is unopposed in the 2022 primary. This is our chance to take back this seat for the community and elect a labor organizer supported by the movement.
Looking for previous information we issued about the races?
You can find the Steering Committee’s recommendations for all races except Districts 194 and 200 here. The modified statement on House Districts 194 and 200 are here.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT VOTING
Pennsylvania is a “Closed Primary” state: Registered Democrats and Republicans will vote on candidates within their own party. Registered Independents and 3rd Party voters can only vote on Ballot Questions this election. If you’d like to support our endorsed Democrat candidates you can update your party registration now. You can also use the same link to update your voter registration if you have moved or changed names.
You can register to vote if: you are a US citizen and PA resident for at least one month before the primary and if you will be at least 18 years of age on or before the day of the primary election. The deadline to register is Monday, May 2.
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, May 17, 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 May 10. 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!
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Reclaim Philadelphia’s Steering Committee is a leadership team directly elected by Reclaim Philadelphia members to two-year terms. See the current membership at the bottom of this page. The next Steering Committee elections will be in summer 2022.