Hello John!

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, upcoming events, and other resources as we celebrate the results from the November 7th local, municipal and judicial elections. 

The New Pennsylvania Project is still celebrating some incredible election results from Tuesday night! Not only was Judge Dan McCaffery elected to the PA Supreme Court, but we saw historic wins across the Commonwealth like Philadelphia electing its first woman mayor in Cherelle Parker, it's first openly-LGBTQ+ council member in Rue Landau, Montgomery County electing its first Indian-American commissioner in Neil Makhija, and Allegheny County electing Sara Innamorato as the first women to lead as county executive.

We also offer up a big congratulations to the voters of Pennsylvania on electing Judge McCaffery and we are proud to have knocked on more than 18,000 doors, sent 14,000 text messages to potential voters, made 60,000 phone calls (26,000 of which were completed), and sent 15,000 mailers to voters' homes in support of Judge McCaffery this election cycle. We were also part of a digital campaign with Commonwealth Communications that had more than 33 million impressions on social media!

Our organization is also encouraged by the increase in voter turnout for an odd-year election, as 3.04 million residents of the Keystone State voted on Tuesday. This 35.1 percent turnout of registered voters is up from 31.7 percent in 2021 and 29.6 percent in 2019.

That said, the work of our organization is nowhere near finished. We will quickly turn our attention back to civic education and voter registration in preparation for the 2024 Presidential election, and continue to provide civic engagement and advocate for participation in odd-year elections.

We hope you'll support us in our crucially important work to reach the underrepresented and underserved communities of Pennsylvania!

How Abortion Became The Central Issue In Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court Race

(Penn Capital-Star)

Spending on the campaign topped $17 million by the end of October, campaign financial disclosures show, with large sums coming from conservative billionaires as well as reproductive rights organizations like Planned Parenthood Votes, the political arm of Planned Parenthood. 

Democratic Judge Dan McCaffery Wins Pennsylvania Supreme Court Seat

(Democracy Docket)

Voting rights groups, like the New Pennsylvania Project, are relieved as McCaffery’s presence on Pennsylvania’s highest court means that there is a bolstered pro-democracy bench heading into some critical election years for the battleground state. In a statement following the results, New Pennsylvania Project’s Kadida Kenner reminded that while a cause for celebration, Election Day is just one day, and, “the work of our organization is nowhere near finished.”

Are we really going to let Pa.’s richest man buy a state Supreme Court seat?

(Philadelphia Inquirer)

Kadida Kenner is chief executive officer of the New Pennsylvania Project, a progressive-minded organization that aims to register new voters and increase turnout. They are working the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race the old-fashioned way, doorbell by doorbell. While the group says it has been remarkably successful in signing up new voters — some 30,000 in just 18 months — Kenner concedes that making those voters aware of the candidates and what’s at stake in the race for the state’s highest court can be an uphill climb.

Dark Money Has No Place In Pennsylvania Courts

(Bucks County Beacon)

Like competitive sailing or horse racing, Pennsylvania politics now seem to many like a sport that only the wealthy can play. Big-money interest groups from outside the Commonwealth now dominate our elections, dumping million-dollar hauls into the coffers of politicians they hope to influence when the time comes to pass a bill. The reality is that these groups have become all stars in Harrisburg politics while regular Pennsylvanians are stuck on the bench. 

Wins in local races will disrupt Michigan and Pennsylvania Democrats’ hold on legislative chambers

(AP News)

Michigan and Pennsylvania will emerge from the Tuesday elections with House legislative chambers evenly split between Republicans and Democrats in yet another sign of how narrowly divided the two swing states have become. The change will be at least temporary after House members in the states were elected to other offices and will need to resign from the legislatures.

Across the nation, Election Day results show that voters care about diversity and democracy | Editorial

(The Philadelphia Inquirer)

A majority of voters are clearly exhausted from the chaos and culture wars that Donald Trump and his band of MAGA followers have promoted during the past eight years. From governor’s mansions to state courts to school boards, voters do not want a handful of extreme officials imposing their narrow views on others. Instead, they want common sense, tolerance, and decency.

As Black Voters Drift to Trump, Biden’s Allies Say They Have Work to Do

(The New York Times)

A new Siena poll says Biden’s edge with Black voters, especially young voters, has faded over the course of his administration. Disgraced former president Donald Trump took 8 percent of the Black vote in 2020; now 22 percent of Black voters say they would support Trump, though many say they are open to returning to Biden.

Fitzpatrick Introduces Legislation To Designate Election Day a Federal Holiday

(PoliticsPA)

Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced bipartisan legislation with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) to designate Election Day as a federal holiday.

To understand how those elected this past Tuesday will impact the state, we're participating in a Zoom panel hosted by Spotlight PA on Thursday, Nov. 16 from 6 to 7PM. 

Panelists include:

• Katie Meyer, government editor and reporter, Spotlight PA
• Kadida Kenner, founding chief executive officer, New Pennsylvania Project
• Deborah Gross, president & CEO, Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts

The event is free to attend (click here to register) and will include a Q&A. Questions can be emailed ahead of time to [email protected]. We hope you'll join us!

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

In solidarity,

#TeamNPP

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  

If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please 

unsubscribe.