Hi John,
Welcome to the latest New Pennsylvania Project newsletter!
On Tuesday, March 25th, there are two special elections in Pennsylvania.
A special election is just like a primary or general election in terms of how you vote, but only voters in the district can cast a ballot.

Some voters in Allegheny and some voters in Lancaster will have the opportunity to participate in a special election on Tuesday, March 25.
Voters in the 35th State House District, which is located in Allegheny County, and includes Brentwood, Mount Oliver and parts of Pittsburgh, will fill the vacancy due to the passing of State House Representative Matthew Gergely.

Voters in the 36th State Senate District, covering much of northern Lancaster County, like Akron, Columbia, Ephrata, Elizabethtown, Lititz, Manheim and 14 townships, will choose a candidate to fill the recently vacated seat of State Sen. Ryan Aument. Voters participating in the SD36 special election should be aware that the Lancaster County Board of Elections has approved polling place changes. Before you head to the polls on Tuesday, March 25, double check your polling location! You can see the changes here. ([link removed]
If you are registered in either district, make your plan to vote! Polls are open from 7am to 8pm. If you are in line by 8pm, stay in line and exercise your freedom to vote.

#WhenWeVoteWeWin Why Courts Matter Town Hall 401
Thursday, March 27th
6:30-7:30PM
Online via Zoom


How do the courts affect our rights and freedoms? Why should we be involved in judicial elections?

Our fourth virtual town hall, co-hosted with Why Courts Matter - Pennsylvania, will continue to explore the impact and importance of state and federal courts. It will also offer ways to self-educate and get involved.RSVP here
 
From @courtneyahndesign ([link removed]

"Happy #WomensHistoryMonth ([link removed] y’all! And while I’m always ecstatic to see the outpour of support this time of year for so many amazing women, let’s not forget what it means to celebrate and support the success, rights, and work of ALL women (not just the ones you like, are comfortable with, or find attractive my dudes). And I’m talking ALL women: Black, Indigenous, queer, trans, disabled, fat, poor, refugee and houseless!


PS: too often this time of year we see baseless promises from brands and influencers…jumping on every opportunity to market and sell the #girlboss ([link removed] story when it’s convenient (one that’s unsurprisingly white, skinny, and privileged), without acknowledging the very real systemic barrier.


And as we know, folks…if it isn’t intersectional, it isn’t feminism! So keep a watchful eye out this month and keep holding brands and those around you accountable to “supporting” women more than a couple days a year!"SHARE ON INSTAGRAM 


During the State of the Union on Tuesday night, Trump shook hands with Chief Justice John Roberts and said, “I won’t forget it,” before patting him on the back after the address to Congress. Trump and his administration assume that the U.S. Supreme Court is on his side. This assumption is supported by statements made by Pam Bondi, Trump’s new Attorney General, on Fox, “The Supreme Court is going to back us up, it’s just getting through all these district court judges."


This week, the U.S. Supreme Court reminded President Trump that at least one branch of government can stand up to him. A divided U.S. Supreme Court rejected Trump's bid to freeze nearly $2 billion in foreign aid ([link removed] in a 5-4 vote. This is the second time the Supreme Court has stopped him in his second term. Although lower courts have blocked other parts of his agenda, not complying with a Supreme Court ruling would be considered a Constitutional crisis.



In response to this opposition to the administration’s agenda, Musk and other Trump allies are using impeachment threats in an attempt to intimidate federal judges. These threats are specifically directed at federal judges who have ruled against recent Trump policies or those who may potentially hear future challenges against the administration. While the likelihood of actual impeachment proceedings is low, the calls for impeachment and the introduction of resolutions serve a clear purpose: to create an atmosphere of intimidation and pressure on the judiciary.



This strategy represents a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the executive and judicial branches of government. By threatening to openly defy court orders and attempting to intimidate judges, the administration is undermining the fundamental principles of checks and balances and the rule of law. This has the potential to create a constitutional crisis with far-reaching consequences for the stability and legitimacy of the American democratic system.

Defending Democracy


The intimidation campaign and flirting with ignoring courts ([link removed] — is occurring while the public’s trust in the judiciary is at a record-low ([link removed]

The kind of corruption on display at the State of the Union and inherent in the intimidation tactics aimed at the judiciary harms not only the legitimacy of the Court, but the governmental process as a whole. This is about public trust. Respecting the process of government is important to building and maintaining that public trust.

Defending Democracy: National Trends


Similar efforts to exert control over the courts can be seen at the state level as well. Over the course of the last few years, the courts in Utah have ruled against some state legislature’s bills. In response, Republican lawmakers were upfront about their intent to impose some controls over the courts. Two bills ([link removed] were introduced in the Utah legislature that attempted to make it easier to vote judges off the bench. This attempt by the Utah legislature invites partisan politics into the judicial system.


The Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court hand-delivered a letter to members of the Utah Judicial Council — the group of judges that governs the state courts — calling HB512 a “dangerous” precedent that would undermine public trust in the courts.

Defending Democracy in PA


In Pennsylvania, voters have the opportunity to help ensure that our state courts remain independent and fair. There are three retention elections for the state Supreme Court this year. The decisions made by Pennsylvanian voters in November will continue to impact residents for years to come.


Judicial elections are an important way for citizens to have a say in the composition of the courts. By electing judges who share their values and perspectives, voters can influence the direction of the judiciary and ensure that it reflects the will of the people. Additionally, participating in judicial elections can help to hold judges accountable for their decisions and ensure that they remain responsive to the needs of the community. By staying informed about judicial candidates and casting their votes, citizens can help to safeguard their rights and freedoms and ensure that the judiciary remains a fair and impartial institution.


Local and municipal elections are also on the ballot this year!

Pennsylvanians have the power to hold their representatives accountable.


In December, Republicans on the borough council approved an ordinance eliminating the system of voting that elected members based on geographic precincts — a system that, in recent years, resulted in two Democrats joining the council. Under the new system, all council members would be elected based on a majority of all Wrightsville voters, potentially giving Republicans an advantage in future elections. Mayor Tayne Slenker vowed to veto that ordinance. However, the veto never happened. S ([link removed] said she never received a copy of the ordinance ([link removed] a necessary step in the governing process.


In that vacuum, the York County Board of Elections adopted the council’s at-large election model on Wednesday, opening four council seats for the May 20 primary. Those seats would be elected by all registered Wrightsville voters, as opposed to voters from individual precincts.

Learn more about how to take action this year and help keep courts independent and accountable to the people at our next Why Courts Matter Townhall. ([link removed] @ McCormick's
On Monday, March 3rd, founding CEO of the New Pennsylvania Project, Kadida Kenner, was invited by Mondays @ McCormick's ([link removed] to participate in their accountability protest. Kadida spoke about this week's theme: Justice and Judges.

The Mondays@McCormick movement is a weekly accountability protest held every Monday at noon through April – rain or shine – outside McCormick's office at 2000 Market Street in Philadelphia.

Voters across the country have organized protests outside the offices of elected officials and have attended town hall meetings to express their frustration with the current administration’s actions. Why Courts Matter 301

On Thursday, February 27th, more than a hundred participants joined our third virtual town hall alongside Why Courts Matter - Pennsylvania.

The town hall focusedon the importance of our federal courts and the role elected officials play in nominating and confirming judges.Watch it here
Staff members of the affiliated organization, New PA Project Education Fund (NPPEF), continue to provide voters with civic education across the Commonwealth.
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Did you know that in Pennsylvania the overwhelming majority of the formerly incarcerated have the right to vote, the moment they are released?

These two gentlemen are returning citizens. One of our star canvassers talked to them about their rights and let them know about organizations, like us, that can offer them employment assistance. They both happily registered to vote!


More info about voting for returning citizens can be found here.Dauphin County
Two gentlemen who were recently released from prison register to vote in Harrisburg.Philadelphia

Our team in Philadelphia connected with young voters at Lincoln High School's Union Experience Fair.Allegheny County

Free cookies and civic education in North Pittsburgh 

Your voice matters! Thanks to the efforts of voters like you, leaders in the Republican Party ([link removed] instructing their members to avoid public meetings altogether. Instead of facing the people they represent, Republican lawmakers are backing away from open forums. Leaders are advising them to move to pre-screened, invite-only events or shift entirely to virtual town halls where they can control who speaks.


Make sure that you keep yourself informed and hold your representatives accountable! Civic engagement is more than just voting twice a year! It’s paying attention and showing up!

Here’s some news you can use to keep yourself informed!

Federal Workers Fired by Trump:
Ongoing federal funding freezes ([link removed] sudden deep cuts in the federal workforce, made at the behest of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have left workers uncertain and in fear. The current administration’s attack on the federal workforce has caused a great deal of chaos, including here in Pennsylvania.

Impact in PA

In response to the administration’s attack on the federal labor force, Gov. Shapiro signs an executive order with a plan to recruit federal workers fired by Trump ([link removed] Governor Shapiro understands that the commonwealth can benefit from the experiences and expertise of federal workers.

Trump’s Threat to Cut VA Funding

Recently, DOGE has turned its sights on the VA (Veterans Affairs). The Trump administration's move to end hundreds of VA contracts — initially paused after public outcry — and ongoing layoffs are affecting the nation's veterans, a critical and politically influential constituency. More than 9 million veterans get physical and mental health care from the VA, which is now being examined by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. Some Veterans’ Administration healthcare workers, for instance, were told they were immune from reductions - but Trump then moved to fire ([link removed] crisis line call-takers as well as medical researchers for cancer, prosthetics, and other fields.


Impact in PA
Pennsylvania is home to a disproportionate share of the nation’s veterans, more than 800,000, many of whom depend on the VA for medical care, including mental health treatment, as well as housing.

Trump to sell Federal Buildings

The Trump Administration was seeking to sell 320 federal buildings across the US — including half of the nearly two dozen properties owned in Pennsylvania. The Trump administration included ([link removed] the Main Justice building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., on a list of properties it intends to put on the market. (The reason? The property is “not core to government operations.”)


Impact in PA

In counties throughout the state, from Erie to Philadelphia, at least 10 federal facilities were placed on the General Services Administration’s (GSA) “non-core property list,” ([link removed] out of the 22 federal buildings in PA ([link removed] signaling plans to sell the buildings. Notable cuts include several Social Security Administration buildings, a Veterans Administration Center in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh’s William S. Moorhead skyscraper.
Election News: Federal
Cuts to Election Security Agencies & Threat to Vote by Mail

Trump has repeatedly said he would like to end vote by mail, falsely claiming it allows for widespread fraud. An executive order ([link removed] would absorb the U.S. Postal Services (USPS), an independent agency, into the administration, thus dissolving the service’s leadership. This executive order has the potential to make voting by mail— an option used ([link removed] by tens of millions of voters last year — more difficult.


The Trump administration has also paused the work of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Elections Security and Resilience Division. Last year, when Election Day bomb threats were received in key swing states, Pennsylvania’s top elections officials were ready, thanks to warnings from an arm of the Department of Homeland Security.


Local officials knew the threats were likely not credible, thanks to information shared by CISA that the threats had originated in Russia. “ CISA were very valuable to our state and to other states,” Secretary of State Al Schmidt told Pennsylvania senators. “They have a national and global perspective when it comes to cyber security risks and all the rest that each individual state can’t do on its own.”Election News: Pennsylvania - Statewide
Pennsylvania to spend $10 million on new voter registration system
"Pennsylvania is spending more than $10 million to replace its electronic voter registration database with an election management system that will also provide election night results and handle campaign finance filings and lobbyist registration. Secretary of State Al Schmidt announced Wednesday the Civix system should be fully in use by the time of the next presidential election in 2028.”
The technology company ([link removed] work with the Department of State to replace the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors, commonly known as the SURE system, that has been in use in the Commonwealth since 2003. The new system will be implemented in phases and will ultimately provide a streamlined, one-stop-shop elections administration experience for the Department, county elections boards, candidates, political committees, and lobbyists.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, ([link removed] House Speaker Joanna McClinton said she was “open to including stricter voter identification requirements as part of a broader effort to modernize the state’s election law,” which includes allowing more time to process mail ballots and clean up the election code.
This signals a renewed willingness from Democrats to work on the issue. Last November House Democrats retained a one-seat majority in the state House. Any bill must go through a GOP-controlled state Senate, meaning compromise is necessary if Democrats want their own priorities to reach the governor’s desk.

House Speaker McClinton herself opposes voter ID expansions. However, voter ID expansion now appears to be an issue Democrats are willing to negotiate — if they get other long-awaited election law changes or Democratic priorities in return. 
The right to vote is at stake for millions in PA

A bill aimed at restricting voter access was already introduced in the PA House. HB 284 ([link removed] introduced by Republican Representative David Maloney (Berks), would establish new proof of citizenship requirements for Pennsylvanians registering to vote.

Here’s the truth: it is already illegal for a non-US citizen to vote. Similar to the SAVE Act introduced in Congress, this bill is being introduced to peddle unfounded conspiracies and to sow doubt in our election systems. Additionally, it works to uplift extremist MAGA talking points to make it more difficult for eligible Americans to make their voices heard, including married women, or those without a passport.


As a voting rights organization, we are vehemently against making it harder to register to vote and adding unnecessary barriers to this process that will have negative impacts on the communities we center.

You can find the email addresses and Facebook pages for all members of the state legislature here ([link removed] Please contact at least one and let them know that their constituents want them to stop this massive attack on our right to make our voices heard.  

Last day to register to vote for the Primary Election: Monday, May 5, 2025
Primary Election: Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Last day to register to vote for the General Election: Monday, October 20, 2025
Last day to request mail-in ballot: Tuesday, October 28, 2025
General Election: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 


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
Thank you for staying informed and engaged!
We wish those who celebrate a blessed Ramadan.


Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection and self-improvement.

We stand in solidarity with those observing this holy month and appreciate the shared values that unite us all.
Our Contact Information
New Pennsylvania Project
P.O. Box 443
West Chester, PA 19381

4126996771
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