Hi John,
Welcome to the latest New Pennsylvania Project newsletter!
New Pennsylvania Project celebrates the ruling by U.S. District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter, which holds that the practice of rejected undated mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments. The RNC has already filed a Notice of Appeal on Wednesday afternoon.

Disqualifying voters’ ballots over a trivial paperwork errors on their return envelope discourages voters from participating in the democratic process.
We want Pennsylvanians voting twice a year - every year - and not disenfranchised by unnecessary rules. We hope this decision motivates voters to turn out to make their voices heard.

This November, voters will have the power to retain or vacate three seats of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
The votes cast by powerful Pennsylvania voters in November will impact our lives for years to come, as Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court will make decisions about our election administration, access to abortion, the safety of our workplaces, and the right to unionize. Make sure you can voice your vote!CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION 

From @mattxiv ([link removed]

"cashed that rainbow check and ditched!"SHARE ON INSTAGRAM 

Last night, federal U.S. District Court Judge Mary McElroy, in Rhode Island, said she will grant a request from Democratic state officials, including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, to temporarily stop the Trump’s administration ([link removed] cutting 11 billion dollars in state health grants.

Meanwhile, early this week in Wisconsin, Judge Susan Crawford defeated her Trump and Musk-backed opponent despite being outspent by millions of dollars. The race drew national attention as the most expensive state Supreme Court ([link removed] in U.S. history and the first major battleground state ([link removed] election of Trump's second term. At a campaign event after the race was called, Judge Crawford said: “Wisconsin stood up and said, loudly, that justice does not have a price. Our courts are not for sale.”

Pennsylvania, one of only seven states that votes for all of our judges and justices in partisan elections, is next on the docket for having a critical, and expensive, judicial election this year.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices serve 10-year terms. At the end of this term the justices face a nonpartisan retention election, where voters choose “yes” or “no” on whether a sitting justice should stay on the bench. Three state Supreme Court seats are up for retention. If a seat is vacated, Governor Shapiro can nominate temporary justices until the partisan election of 2027, but two-thirds of the Republican-dominated state Senate must approve the nomination.

Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court is the last line of defense for our rights, freedoms and the rule of law. The judicial retention election will decide if it stays on our side or is at risk of being corrupted by billionaires and special interests.
Here is a list of all the judges up for retention elections in PA ([link removed] this year. 
We have a new podcast!
Slingshot The Podcast ([link removed] — where the misunderstood voice becomes the culture’s power is hosted by our Founding CEO, Kadida Kenner, and Charles Gregory, from We Talk Weekly. ([link removed][0]=AZUKjLeSev4JJHknOJz4XhKfaSZXjupTuK14JJZxlDHOm2PlJQyE4jRaliQkaLHW5cKbqoX1eIgokc8qCVuW-h1R3ew1wmGZd6QwFcFhm8s1sj_1lvFDo-bNcz0Y02fxze9S7eI3Ib0sk6YNJbyrO0WAxhpcNhXseKpCeB4p2s08FcBbcvoOzFnydLox1AKNLv8CcoHqexJ2F7PaoUfwFCXH&__tn__=-]K-R&blm_aid=78408)
The first episode dives headfirst into a conversation many are afraid to have: What’s the problem with DEI?
In the premiere episode, “Damn, I Don’t Want DEI in the Title,” the hosts confront how diversity, equity, inclusion—and access have been politicized, misrepresented, and misunderstood. But they don’t stop there.

Through storytelling, humor, and cultural commentary, they uplift powerful examples of Black excellence in sports that challenge stereotypes and demand visibility.WATCH HERE A big week

Last week Pennsylvanians in some parts of Allegheny and some parts of Lancaster counties made their voices heard through two special elections.
Democrats maintained control of the state House by a single seat and surprisingly flipped a seat in the PA Senate.

In the special election for Senate District 36, Mayor James Andrew Malone (D) defeated his Republican opponent in the GOP-leaning Lancaster County.Ina district that has not elected a Democrat since the 1980s, ([link removed] ([link removed] won by just 480 votes.
Here’s the thing: The affiliated organization New PA Project Education Fund (NPPEF) worked to register 1,300 people to vote in Lancaster County over the past 12 months.

And continues to do so by educating eligible Pennsylvanians about their rights and freedoms!Luzerne County

Lackawanna College, Hazleton CampusLackawanna County
ScrantonDauphin County
Downtown Harrisburg 

U.S. Senator Cory Brooker delivered a historic speech ([link removed] this week. He started with a powerful message about the previous recordholder of the longest continuous Senate floor speech: "I'm here despite his speech. I'm here because as powerful as he was, the people were more powerful."

Having held the floor for 25 hours and 5 minutes, Senator Booker surpassed the previous record of 24 hours and 18 minutes, set by Strom Thurmond 68 years ago. Thurmond, a segregationist and southern senator from South Carolina set the record in 1957 to filibuster the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Senator Booker's speech was not, technically, ([link removed] a filibuster since he was not trying to stop a specific piece of legislation.


So why did Senator Booker speak for more than 25 hours? The Senator aimed to highlight the scope and intensity ([link removed] of the threat that Trump, Elon Musk, and other presidential stooges pose to government as we know it and to democracy itself. Booker's speech was a direct response to the political climate, including Trump's anti-voting executive order.

As he approached the record, the New Jersey Democrat reflected on the legacy of Civil Rights leader John Lewis, urging lawmakers to take action in what he called a "moral moment."

"This is one of those moments when John Lewis would not sit still," Booker said. "He would call us to get into good trouble, necessary trouble."
When Trump issued his sweeping anti-voting executive order ([link removed] many were quick to get into trouble and point out that he doesn’t have the unilateral authority to alter all elections like that. States have the primary role in setting election rules. And Congress can override those rules by enacting laws. The president, however, is not mentioned anywhere in the laws governing how elections are run. That branch of government (the executive) has no independent role in election administration.

Marc Elias writes ([link removed] “Calling it an executive order may mean something to him, but legally, it is irrelevant. Neither the Constitution nor the law cares about his feelings.”

As a voting rights organization, we are vehemently opposed to any additional barriers that would make it more difficult to register to vote, and to make our voices heard at the ballot box.
Trump is attempting to rewrite the rules to block us from voting because they know that when we all participate, we elect leaders who work for us, not just the rich and powerful.

Our Founding CEO was one of the leaders joining in on this "good trouble." In an interview with NBC 10, ([link removed] explains how this executive order impacts the rights of Pennsylvanians and the work our team is doing on the ground. Watch here


Our director of communications, Gabriela Huerta, spoke live with Canela News in Miami about how the Trump's regime executive order disproportionately harms working people, young voters, new Americans, anyone who has changed their name, such as married women, and Black and brown communities.
She also mentioned the important role courts play in protecting the rights of people and states.Watch here


It is clear that the attacks on voting rights won't stop. Neither will the attacks on judges defending those rights.

Recently, the Speaker of the U.S. House, Mike Johnson, suggested potentially defunding, restructuring or all together eliminating US federal courts. ([link removed] current administration, and its supporters, are actively seeking ways to interfere with the power judges have to challenge Trump’s policies.

In a podcast interview, New York Congressman Dan Goldman sits down with Marc Elias ([link removed] discuss President Trump’s growing threats to the federal judiciary and the rule of law, and the president’s latest election executive order.
Trump has the power to remake Pennsylvania's highest federal court ([link removed] Currently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, which hears important cases from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, has two vacant judgeships. The president of the United States has the authority to submit nominations to the court to the U.S. Senate, which can confirm or reject them.


"Pennsylvania was one of the most litigious states in the entire country as it related to the 2020 election results and election administration,” said Kadida Kenner, CEO of the New Pennsylvania Project and co-chair of Why Courts Matter – Pennsylvania. “And it was our circuit courts, and our federal district courts in Pennsylvania that were making judgments about our provisional ballots, whether they should count or not and the legitimacy of our elections.”

In Pennsylvania, voters have the opportunity to help ensure that our state courts remain independent and fair. Make sure you make your voice heard at the polls.

#DefendDemocracy   

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!
Our Contact Information
New Pennsylvania Project
P.O. Box 443
West Chester, PA 19381
4126996771
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