Hi John,
Welcome to the latest New Pennsylvania Project newsletter! In this edition, you'll find critical election news, upcoming events, and exciting career opportunities. We’re here to keep you informed about our progress to eliminate voting barriers. We will continue to provide key election updates, and highlight the issues that shape Pennsylvania's future.
As we gear up for the 2024 general election, we invite you to join us in our mission to mobilize voters to the polls in every election, and to make change in our communities. #WhenWeVoteWeWin |
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| August 6th, 2024 marked 59 years since
the Voting Rights Act of 1965 |
Signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 removed race-based restrictions on voting, and became a landmark federal law that would drastically change the country's political landscape.
On its 59th anniversary, we honor the advocacy of those who worked tirelessly to ensure its passage. However, voting rights are still at risk. U.S. Supreme Court cases such as 2013's Shelby County v. Holder, which removed protections that prevented state and local governments with histories of discrimination from adopting harmful election policies, demonstrate just how fragile our voting rights and freedom to vote are.
Voting rights are fundamental to securing all other rights and freedoms. Federal lawmakers must pass legislation like the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to strengthen voting rights laws and safeguard voters and elections.
In the meantime, we continue this work by educating our communities about their voting rights. The New Pennsylvania Project will tirelessly advocate to ensure our voting rights are protected here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and across the country. We are on a mission to register every eligible Pennsylvanian to vote. Do your part and honor the work of those who came before you -
use your right to vote! |
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We Talk Weekly (Episode 7/25/024) |
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| NPP Block Party
Tuesday, August 13th, 2024
5:30-8:00PM
2619 9th St, Chester, PA
Join us in the City of Chester for a Block Party to celebrate our new headquarters grand opening! This is a family-friendly event with free food, sweet treats, activities for the kids, and of course, the opportunity to get registered to vote or check your voter's status. We will also have a screening of the documentary: Suppressed and Sabotaged. For more information email us at: [email protected] |
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| Opening the Prison Cage: Unerasing Women Behind Bars
Thursday, September 19th, 2024
5:30PM-8:30PM
Parkway Central Library
1901 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
The evening will begin with a screening of the film "Kemba," which tells the harrowing yet inspiring story of Kemba Smith's journey from a college student to a federal prisoner, and her eventual pardon.
The screening will be followed by a talk-back with Kemba Smith and Kadida Kenner. |
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Last Sunday, the NPP- Philly team visited Tattooed Mom while they hosted a voter drive featuring drag, prizes and fun! |
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On the same day, we held a college campus voter drive in West Philly.
Did you know?
"Researchers at Tufts University reported a national student voting rate of 66%—and that number has the potential to increase in upcoming elections as colleges explore a variety of strategies to get their students to the polls, including initiatives like
on-campus voter
registration drives."
That includes initiatives like us! |
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NPP spoke at an event from the League of Women Voters |
On August 1st, The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania - Central PA welcomed CEO Kadida Kenner, at an event discussing all things civic engagement and education. |
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| NPP present at Justice Jam |
Kadida Kenner of New Pennsylvania Project presented our organization's mission at
JUSTICE JAM on Saturday, August 3, 2024.
This event gathered thought leaders, changemakers, and peace advocates throughout the Pennsylvania Region. |
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Pennsylvania’s long-running dispute over dates on mail-in voting ballots is back in the courts
“The case was brought by the Black Political Empowerment Project, Common Cause and allied advocacy groups against the secretary of state and the elections boards in Philadelphia and Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh. They argued that enforcing the date requirement infringes upon voting rights and that none of the prior cases on the topic directly ruled whether it runs afoul of the state constitution’s Free and Equal Elections Clause.”
As the Voting Rights Act Nears 60, Conservative Judges Are Gutting It From Every Angle
“In a 12-6 decision, with all of the Republican-appointed judges in the majority, the appeals court overturned its own precedent dating back to 1988, ruling that minority groups who form a combined majority, such as Black and Hispanic voters in the Galveston area, are not protected under the VRA. That will make it much tougher to secure representation for communities of color.”
Walsh Files Brief in Ballots Appeal Case; Gets Support From State and National Democratic Parties
“Jamie Walsh's attorney on Wednesday filed a brief in support of Walsh's appeal to the state Supreme Court regarding two provisional ballots cast in the April 23 Republican primary for the 117th District state House seat...This might be the last time Jamie Walsh files legal paperwork during a series of appeals from both Walsh and incumbent state Rep. Mike Cabell that has dragged on for three months since the primary.” Neary Nominated to U.S. District Court For Middle District of PA
“Keli M. Neary, Executive Deputy Attorney General for the Civil Law division of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, has been nominated by President Joe Biden to the federal district court.”
Why SCOTUS Term Limits Will Lead to a Fairer Court
“Two points are crucial: First, term limits are the path to a fairer Court, a necessary structural fix for a broken appointment process. Second, they can be accomplished by statute, rather than constitutional amendment.”
‘We Must Expand the Court:’ Sen. Markey, Advocates Call for Adding 4 SCOTUS Seats
“When asked about the potential risks of expanding the court, Markey said it’s been done many times before. “The Court has been expanded seven times previously, including [by] President Lincoln and President John Adams,” Markey said. “So there is ample precedent for the expansion of the court. And, ultimately, the [U.S.] Constitution left it up to the United States Congress.” |
Pa. Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt has an eye on Elon Musk over election misinformation
"As misinformation about the U.S. election spreads across the internet, secretaries of state, including Pennsylvania’s Al Schmidt, are raising the alarm about two ways they say X owner Elon Musk may be contributing to the confusion.
Vice president candidates Vance, Walz present stark contrast on voting issues
"As governor, Walz has staked out a lengthy policy record on voting and election issues, including an expansion of voting rights. Vance has had fewer opportunities to affect voting policy as a U.S. senator, but his statements on the subject over the last four years, including false claims about voter fraud, offer insight into his views.
Tim Walz is Kamala Harris’ VP Pick — Here’s His Record on Voting Rights
“Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, has selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) as her running mate, she announced in a post on X. Harris has a strong record on voting rights, and so does Walz… In May 2023, Walz signed the “Democracy for the People Act,” which promoted voting rights in many ways, including by allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote, permitting voters to opt into a permanent absentee voter list and expanding language access in voting materials.”
Editorial: Whole Home Repairs was a tragic casualty of state budget negotiations “This year’s Pennsylvania state budget passed with little of last year’s chaos and delays — but, a vital program to fix up aging housing stock, and keep long-time homeowners in the homes they love, was once again passed up for funding. The loss of funding for Whole Home Repairs is a massive blow to Allegheny County and for the commonwealth as a whole.”
How to spot misinformation online and avoid falling for false claims in this presidential election
“As the noisy worlds of X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Truth Social have continued to pump out torrents of deceptions, distortions, and inaccuracies, experts tell us it’s more important than ever to learn how to recognize and reject misinformation. With the number of days until Nov. 5 dwindling, the magnitude of fabricated online political content is expected to expand and intensify.”
Abney, PLBC hear Allegheny County Jail officials over voting access
“Led by state Reps. Aerion Abney, Napoleon Nelson, Rick Krajewski, Anthony Bellmon and Greg Scott, the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus on Tuesday heard from Allegheny County officials over incarcerated peoples’ right to vote from jail.”
Push to cut 10s of thousands from Allegheny County voter rolls feeds fears
“Pennsylvania law allows any resident to challenge the voter eligibility of anyone registered in the same municipality. Golembiewski recruited people in various municipalities to sign affidavits, creating what he calls an “assembly line” of paperwork, involving a number of notaries working pro bono and more than 16,000 two-page affidavits seeking the removal of voters.”
New ballot-box obstacles: Mapping the states with recent laws that make it harder to vote
“Passed in more than half of U.S. states, the laws are often part of sweeping bills that targeted multiple parts of the process, including absentee voting, early voting, and Election Day voting. ”
In Battleground PA's 'Latino Belt,' Undecided Voters Are Paying Attention
“In the predominantly Latino city of Reading, residents say the latest events and changes to the national political scene are, as one person described it, "exciting" and "unexpected." Both parties are paying attention to this battleground state's growing number of Latino voters.”
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| 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] |
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| Marcus has hit the ground running, as he has already hired and trained 11 team members to continue with our mission of getting Pennsylvanians to vote. |
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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
Return Your Ballot
Track Your Ballot
Find Your Polling Place 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 |
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