Good afternoon, friends, advocates and voters.

We hope this edition of the New Pennsylvania Project eBlast finds you well.

Please take a few moments to check out all the important news you can use, events happening in your neighborhood, career opportunities, and other updates.

Happy 2nd anniversary to the New Pennsylvania Project! Two years ago this week, we were a staff of one with aspirations of expanding the electorate in Pennsylvania, and to center historically disenfranchised Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, immigrant communities and the youth in our work. Since our founding, we have registered more than 20,000 Pennsylvanians to vote.

- 52% of those we registered to vote are under the age of 35

- 66% of registrants self-identified as Black, Indigenous or belonging to another community of color

• We registered 2,600 new American citizens at the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services naturalization ceremonies in Philadelphia.
• We made more than 531,000 text messages to potential voters.
• We held more than 35 community engagement events, voter registration drives, town halls and community conversations.
• We developed more than 75 partnerships with like-minded community organizations/groups, high schools, universities, churches, local businesses, and government agencies, etc.
• We maintained our staffing levels and had zero layoffs in 2022.

NPP CEO, Kadida Kenner, welcomes our newest staffer, Khalif Ali. Khalif joins NPP as the Director.

Meet Khalif Ali! Khalif joins the New Pennsylvania Project as the organization’s Director. Khalif is a Pittsburgh resident with a background in community organizing, engagement and public policy. Khalif works closely with community-based organizations, local government, foundations, and individual activists to craft and advance a progressive policy and advocacy agenda. Vulnerable populations are at the center of his work.

Meet our entire team: https://www.newpaproject.org/npp-team/ #ExpandTheElectorate #DefendDemocracy.

Pennsylvania’s 2023 primary election is right around the corner, on May 16, and with the delivery of mail and absentee ballots, voting is already underway. So the time is right to hear from Marian Schneider, ACLU-PA’s senior policy counsel for voting rights, and Khalif Ali, formerly of Common Cause PA and now with the New Pennsylvania Project. Marian and Khalif talk about the state of democracy, what challenges we’re facing in protecting the vote, and what opportunities may arise with changes in power at the state capitol.

Listen here. 

Last chance to register to vote in Philadelphia primary (WHYY) 

Groups like the New Pennsylvania Project have been working to get more voters registered in the city and across the state. 

Voter Registration Push (Fox8)

Pa. Democrats want counties to be able to count mail ballots faster. Here’s why changes are unlikely (Philadelphia Inquirer)

“Newly empowered Pennsylvania House Democrats, in a position to move election legislation for the first time since the 2020 election, are proposing a change to allow mail ballots to be processed earlier so they can be counted faster.

The change is widely backed by elections administrators across the state — but the bill doesn’t have the backing of Republicans, who control the Senate.” 

What exactly is ranked-choice voting, and how would it change the Philly mayor’s race? (Billy Penn)

The method, which allows voters to — you guessed it — rank their preferred candidates instead of just choosing one, aims to produce more of a consensus winner. It has gained steam nationally in the past few years, but as of now, isn’t legal in Pennsylvania.

After 22 years, LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination legislation clears hurdle in Pa. House (PA Capital Star)

The bill, which now goes to the House floor for a vote, would simply add sexual orientation and  gender identity or expression to the list of protected classes under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.

The House Judiciary Committee approved the measure on a party-line vote of 12-9. 

The proposal inspired emotional and passionate rhetoric from supporters as Republican members of the committee suggested it would infringe on the religious convictions and freedom of individuals and institutions and lead to unintended consequences. 

State House gets closer to realizing mail-in ballot and pre-canvassing reforms (City & State)

Pennsylvania Democrats used the first full week of session since they solidified their majority in the state House to make their priorities clear: They intend to pass long-requested changes to election administration and anti-discrimination laws.

Committees in the House considered dozens of bills this week, and sent more than 40 to the floor for votes by the full chamber. Democrats argue the half-dozen GOP-sponsored proposals they included in that blitz show they intend to run the chamber in a bipartisan way.

House Bill 847 would give counties seven days to pre-canvass ballots – the act of opening, processing and tallying mail-in ballots prior to Election Day. It would also move up the deadline to apply online for a mail-in ballot by four days and allow voters to cure or fix unsigned or undated mail-in ballots. 

What will Pa. House Democrats do with a majority? First, they’re moving long-stalled priority bills. (Spotlight PA)

Women have more power than ever in Pennsylvania’s legislature, but lawmakers say big hurdles remain (Spotlight PA)

Women lead both chambers of the state General Assembly, but they still make up less than one-third of the total number of members in the state legislature – a figure that gives Pennsylvania a rank of 27th in the nation for the percentage of women serving in the legislature, Spotlight PA reports. 

The New Pennsylvania Project is a voting rights organization with a primary focus of registering communities of color and the youth to vote. We are looking for passionate individuals to join our team and help defend democracy by expanding the electorate.

• Director of Campaigns and Engagement 
• Director of Programs
• Regional Organizing Directors
• Community Engagement Associate
• Fellows (part-time)

To learn more about how to apply and review job descriptions with requirements and disclosed salary ranges, please click here.

2023 Appellate Courts Candidates' Forum

When: Tuesday, May 9 6:00pm on Zoom

Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts will host a forum with candidates for Pennsylvania's appellate courts, including the Supreme Court, Superior Court, and Commonwealth Court. This event will provide viewers with an opportunity to get to know the candidates through a moderated forum. Attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions for the candidates.

Register here.

Happy 2nd Anniversary to the The New Pennsylvania Project!

Our work has been made possible because of the incredible grassroots support from so many across the Commonwealth and it is about time we all get together and celebrate!

Join us for a fun day at the ballpark to root on the Philadelphia Phillies!

When: Monday, June 5
Where: Citizens Bank Park
1 Citizen Bank Way
Philadelphia, PA 19148

Purchase tickets here: https://bit.ly/NPPBirthday
RSVP here: https://bit.ly/NPPPhilliesRSVP

- Tailgate party starts at 4:00pm (parking lot TBD)
- Game starts at 6:40pm

Humankind Day 2023

Unidos' 4th Anniversary Community Event in partnership with Resilient LV

When: Saturday, June 10th 12:00 - 3:00pm

Where: Jordan Park

1001 N. 6th St. 

Allentown, PA 

Register here

Did you know Pennsylvania is the only state in the northeast without statewide nondiscrimination protections for the LGBTQIA+ community?

Twenty-four states across the country have extended discrimination protection to members of the LGBTQIA+ community in addition to dozens of counties and municipalities in Pennsylvania.

On Tuesday, May 2, 2023, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed an extension of the state’s anti-discrimination law to protect members of the LGBTQIA+ community. 

This now moves to the PA Senate to be voted on.

Thank you for taking the time to stay informed. We'll be back in two weeks with the latest edition.

In solidarity,

#TeamNPP

Municipal/Local/Judicial Primary: May 16, 2023
Last day to register to vote: May 1, 2023
Last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot: May 9, 2023

Municipal/Local/Judicial Election: November 7, 2023
Last day to register to vote: October 23, 2023
Last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot: October 31, 2023

Help us prepare for the upcoming municipal, judicial, and local elections in 2023!

The New Pennsylvania Project is a 501(c)(4), contributions are not for charitable purposes and are not tax-deductible.

Paid for by the New Pennsylvania Project

 New Pennsylvania Project
PO Box 443
West Chester, PA 19381
United States  

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