Hi John,

Welcome to the latest New Pennsylvania Project newsletter! In this edition, you'll find critical election news, updates on upcoming and recent events, and exciting career opportunities. We’re here to keep you informed about our progress in breaking down voting barriers, key election updates, and the initiatives shaping Pennsylvania's future.

As we gear up for the 2024 general election, we invite you to join us in our mission to educate and mobilize voters who then vote every election to make change in our communities.

Stay informed with essential election resources and dates as we approach the 2024 General Election on November 5th.

Remember, your voice matters, and we’re here to provide the information and resources needed to shape Pennsylvania’s future.

Thank you for staying informed and engaged! Together, change is possible. When we vote, we win.
 
Gov. Shapiro signs 2024-25 Pennsylvania budget

“The $47.6 billion package includes a compromise on plans to fix Pennsylvania’s unconstitutional school funding system,” as reported by Penn Capital Star ([link removed]

The spending plan provides $11 billion in K-12 education funding, which is over $1 billion in new funding dedicated to public schools. But it scales back plans to address inequities between rich and poor school districts that were ruled unconstitutional last year.

“No one in the room got everything that they wanted. And there are some things we didn’t get done this time. We’re all going to come back and fight for next time.” Said Shapiro.
2024-25 PA Budget highlights 
Election 2024 glossary: What does this mean?


Have questions? Check out this election glossary that explains most of the terms politicians, pollsters, and pundits are throwing around regarding the election process. Voters need to be ready and informed to vote on issues and for those who represent them and the needs of our communities.
Your Election 2024 glossary 
PA rents are out of reach for most


Most low-income workers would need to work more than three full-time jobs to afford a two-bedroom apartment in PA, a new report said.

The report, Out Of Reach, released by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, looked at data to determine the gap between what people in Pennsylvania get paid and how much they need to make to afford housing.

At Pennsylvania's current minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, some of the state's 1.6 million renters would need to work 145 hours per week — or 3.6 full-time jobs — to afford a two-bedroom rental home at the current fair market rate of $1,365.

This gap can only change with voters coming to the polls this year and every year.Access the Study 
Urban League's State of Black Pittsburgh addresses voting and housing
Black voter participation is key to driving real change in our communities, especially on important issues like housing stability and ensuring policies that improve everyday life.

About 100 community members convened for almost three hours to address some of the most pressing issues in the Black community.


In an article in TribLive, Kadida Kenner, CEO of the New Pennsylvania Project, is quoted saying: “The importance of voting and community engagement, providing civic education, is the best thing that can be done in this moment.”Read Here 
Two voting rights groups are suing to force Washington County to alert voters if their mail ballot is invalid. ([link removed]
The ACLU of Pennsylvania and the Public Interest Law Center filed suit against Washington County’s Board of Elections with the goal of reducing the number of people disenfranchised due to errors on their mail ballots. Read more in The Inquirer ([link removed]

Civil rights groups allege 'disenfranchisement' in suit over Washington County mail-in ballot policy ([link removed]
“The board’s decision to conceal the true status of returned mail ballots with minor but disqualifying errors resulted in needless disenfranchisement,” said ACLU-PA legal director Witold Walczak in a statement. “No government official or agency should knowingly disenfranchise its voters.” WESA reports ([link removed]

PARA to Drop its Election Lawsuit
The Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans (PARA) will voluntarily dismiss its lawsuit contesting the rejection of mail-in ballots due to dates on outer return envelopes, following the redesign of the outer return envelope for mail-in and absentee ballots.

Voting rights advocates are hopeful the updated design containing the full year “2024” will reduce rejections of mail in ballots for technicalities.


For April’s election several mail-in ballots were rejected for not having the hand written 24 on the envelope. PARA maintained that the county’s rejection of these ballots violated Pennsylvania Constitution and state law, especially since the year 2024 was displayed on the ballots themselves.The redesign is seen by PARA “as a victory for voters.” Read more in Democracy Docket. ([link removed]

 
Compromises on education spending, tax cuts, and transit headline Pa.’s $47.6B budget
“Pennsylvania lawmakers have sent Gov. Josh Shapiro a $47.6 billion budget that increases public education spending, funnels new dollars into economic development, provides a one-time boost for transit systems and creates a new college scholarship program." Spotlight PA reports. ([link removed]
Pennsylvania restarts plan to upgrade voter registration and election management systems
“After a multi-year delay, the state is back on track to upgrade several software systems to manage election data like voter registrations, election-night reporting and campaign finance figures.” Read more in WESA. ([link removed]
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A Latino-majority city is embracing a chance to sway the 2024 election in our influential swing state
“Religion and politics frequently overlap in Reading, an old industrial city in one of the most pivotal swing states of this year’s presidential election. In Pennsylvania, there is early precedent for this kind of thing. The state began as a haven for Quakers and other European religious minorities fleeing persecution. That includes the parents of Daniel Boone, the national folk hero born just miles from Reading, a town where the Latino population is now the majority.” Read more in WIFT.
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([link removed] House passes bipartisan legislation that would set stricter deadlines for post-election period
To certify election results on time, PA looks to set new deadlines for legal challenges. “In a bipartisan effort to avert a potential crisis in certifying November’s election results, the Pennsylvania House passed a bill Tuesday that would cement the timelines for resolving post-election legal battles and prevent delays in finalizing the state’s electoral votes.” Read more in Votebeat. ([link removed]

PA’s Legislative Black Caucus proposes to incorporate equalizing policies in cannabis legislation ([link removed]
As cannabis legalization remains a work in progress in Pennsylvania, the state Legislative Black Caucus wants to see equity in the recreational marijuana legislation, ABC27 reports ([link removed]

1 in 10 eligible U.S. voters say they can’t easily show proof of their citizenship ([link removed]
"U.S. citizens of color are more likely than white citizens, who do not identify as Latino, to say they lack citizenship documents (3% of people of color compared to 1% of white people) or can’t readily access them (11% of people of color vs. 8% of white people)." NPR reports. ([link removed]

Rev. William J. Barber, II: The good news in 2024: Poor people are the new swing vote
"Looking back at the past three Presidential elections, [a report from Lake Research Partners demonstrates] that in the seven states that will likely decide the 2024 election—Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, and Pennsylvania—low-income voter participation was an average of 12 percentage points lower than that of their higher-income voters." The New Pittsburgh Courier reports.


([link removed] officials recognize massive adequacy gap for public schools. Now they must fill it
The funds sent this year through the new adequacy formula directed to the communities who need it most are critical, and will be used to hire the teachers, tutors, and counselors that students deserve. But the bill admits that 90% of funding gap remains--and does not have a timeline to fill it. Read more at Fund our Schools PA. ([link removed]
We're Hiring!

Join the New Pennsylvania Project (NPP) and be a part of our mission to empower impacted, Black and other communities of color across PA. Help us support every eligible voter to feel compelled to vote.

Your work will make a direct impact on civil rights, fair education funding, economic justice, and environmental stewardship.

Reach us at [email protected]

Our newest hires:
 
Southeastern Pennsylvania 2024 Blue and White Weekend


On Saturday (7/13) Kadida Kenner, CEO of the New Pennsylvania Project, will speak at a Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority fundraiser at the The Nile Swim Club.

Located in a western suburb of Philadelphia, and continuously open to all races since July 1959, the Nile Swim Club was the first private swimming pool owned and operated by African Americans in the United States.
 
There are no "Black Jobs" because Black excellence defies narrow stereotypes. Any attempts to divide and conquer communities of color will fall flat this election year.
 
General Election: November 5, 2024
Last day to register to vote: October 21, 2024
Last day to request mail-in ballot: October 29, 2024

Important Links:
PA Department of State Website ([link removed]
Return Your Ballot ([link removed]
Track Your Ballot ([link removed]
Find Your Polling Place ([link removed]

Voter Hotlines:

Voter Protection Hotline: 1-866-OUR-VOTE
DOS PA Voter Hotline: 1-877-VOTESPA
Spanish/English Hotline: 1-866-VE-Y-VOTA
Asian Languages Hotline: 1-888-API-VOTE
Arabic/English Hotline: 1-844-YALLA-US
Our Contact Information
New Pennsylvania Project
P.O. Box 443
West Chester, PA 19381
4126996771
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