Hi John, 

Welcome to the latest New Pennsylvania Project newsletter!

Next 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 Lancaster will have the opportunity to participate in the 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. Democrats need this victory to maintain their one-seat majority in the State House.

Voters in the 36th State Senate District, covering much of northern Lancaster County, such as 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.

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

Scroll through this post to learn about the many ways to be an activist!

From @jessvoss_art
"When we think of an activist we often think of going to protests and holding signs etc., but this form of activism isn’t always accessible to everyone. For example, people with disabilities may not be able to attend a protest for health reasons.

There are other ways to be involved in social change that give everyone access to becoming an activist! Recognizing a spectrum of activist actions makes participating in activism more accessible for everyone, and we should all be doing what we can to be an activist right now.

Anything you do will have an impact so don’t shame yourself for not being able to do everything! ❤️"

The Trump administration had to reinstate nearly 25,000 fired probationary federal employees following a judge's ruling on their terminations.

Judge Beryl Howell in Washington, D.C., granted a temporary restraining order,  which temporarily stops the enforcement of the executive order Trump issued to terminate contracts, limit access to federal buildings, and to end security clearance for employees at one law firm. All just because he doesn’t like some of the clients Perkins Coie has represented in the past.

That is not what executive orders are for! Presidents shouldn’t be able to use the power of the presidency to retaliate against people they don’t like and prevent lawyers from representing their clients.

More and more people are noticing the overreach of the executive branch. Although he does not mention Trump by name, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts stated that “impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision” is clearly directed at the Trump Administration.

This happened after Trump called for James Boasberg, the federal judge questioning why the administration failed to follow his order halting some deportations, to be impeached. 

However, the president does not have the power to impeach judges. Only Congress can. Democracy Docket breaks down why here. Destroying the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary is always a first step for would-be dictators. Trump is no different.

Courts have power. Since Trump returned to the White House, he has faced legal challenges to his many executive orders and personnel terminations and his allies are noticing. 

"Republican lawmakers across the country are seeking to dismantle checks and balances by trying to give themselves new power over both courts in general and individual judges. These legislators are responding to court rulings they don’t like with radical proposals to restructure the courts or judicial elections."

It’s not unusual to have such power grabs proposed as new legislatures are seated after elections. But this year, there are bills that go much further than usual to undermine or politicize the courts. These attacks on state courts follow threats against federal judges who have stood in the way of the current presidential administration.

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.

Here is a list of all the judges up for retention elections in PA this year.

Team Capital region in Harrisburg!

Teams of the affiliated organization New PA Project Education Fund (NPPEF) gathered statewide for trainings.

Proper protocol, legalities, and hardware updates were discussed. 

This work isn't easy and integrity is critical.

We're grateful for passionate staff that is committed to helping to defend democracy.

Scranton

Pittsburgh

Downtown Harrisburg

On Thursday evening, Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, a move that will strip schools of critical funding and harm the over 50 million students who attend public schools, especially the 15% of them who have disabilities.

In Pennsylvania, the teachers union said that nearly 7,000 teachers and school staff positions would not be funded if the federal government fully cuts off education assistance.

Moving into higher education, did you or anyone you know get their student debt forgiven or got into small payment plans? New generations are out of luck...

Millions of Gen Z and millennial post-grads are facing a nightmare thanks to Trump's changes to income-driven repayment plans. 

Millennials are watching their monthly student loan payments skyrocket under Trump and panicking on TikTok. "For those who find themselves with an unexpectedly high new monthly payment, especially for something like not being able to recertify their income, contacting the department may be a struggle. Close to 50% of the department is in the process of being laid off, and Trump has repeatedly stated he has plans to shut the department down entirely."

If you are one of the 42 million people with student loans, you might want to review your statement.

Meanwhile, white American voters are deeply divided over politics. As a group, white voters continue to hold enormous sway, and that will persist for the foreseeable future. Typically, the white vote is understood as being Republican-friendly (Trump carried it by 15 points), with pronounced gender and education gaps. 

A poll by NBC shows how white men with no degrees and white women with college education stand in opposite sides. They call it the gap within the gap.

"On one end are white men without four-year college degrees. This is a generally blue-collar demographic that is now deeply aligned with Trump and opposed to progressive politics. On the other end are white women with at least four-year college degrees. This is a more affluent demographic that has been racing leftward, particularly on cultural issues, and is squarely opposed to Trump."

"Both groups pack a formidable punch. Eighteen percent of all voters last year were non-college white men and 17% were college-educated white women. And they have come to exist in polar opposite political and cultural universes, each one unrelatable and probably unrecognizable to the other."

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

Thank you for staying informed and engaged!