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Good morning, friends, advocates and voters.
We hope this final February edition of the New Pennsylvania Project eBlast finds you well during these last days of Black History Month.
This past Tuesday would have been civil rights icon and voting rights champion, Congressman John Lewis’ 83rd birthday. We honor him today and all days, as he reminds us that, “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.”
Please take a few moments to check out our upcoming events, news you can use and other updates.
Graphic picturing NPP's CEO, Kadida Kenner standing next to a large poster of John Lewis holding a framed poster of herself. [[link removed]]
Upcoming Events
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Lift Every Voice A Campus Conversation
Tuesday Feb 28th 12:30 - 1:30pm
Student Union Building at Lincoln University
Join us for a community conversation around why voting is important so you can make your voice heard.
We will have bingo, trivia, prizes and food.
To RSVP or for any questions, please contact Call Dyneco Gibson at (717) 847-1201 / [email protected]
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A Community Conversation about “Why Courts Matter”
Tuesday, February 28 from 5:30-6:30pm
Allison Hill Community Center
1524 Walnut St, Harrisburg, PA 17103
Guest Speakers - Anthony Burnett, LOOP
Kadida Kenner, CEO, New PA Project Education Fund
Refreshments will be provided
For more information contact Rick Hicks at (223) 239-0270 / [email protected]
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Civic Education and Voter Registration Event
"Voting is Our Civic Duty"
Friday, Feb 24th 3:00pm
The Open Door Clubhouse
3147 Emerald St. Philadelphia
Join us at 3pm for an interactive presentation about voter education and local elections hosted by the New Pennsylvania Project. Learn how you can impact your community and hear from your local leaders about what elections mean for you. Let's also be sure everyone is registered to vote ahead of the Primary Election happening on Tuesday, May 16.
Complimentary refreshments will be provided. Following COVID protocols. Masks are required for this event.
Special Guests and Presentations by:
Jim Herrity, Councilmember at Large
Arthur Green, Ward Leader
Curtis Thomas, Former PA State Representative
Katy Personette, Director of Development and Policy, New Pennsylvania Project
For more information, please contact Carrie Fowler at [email protected]
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Who Can Help Me? A Community Conversation
Tuesday, Feb 28 6:00 - 8:00pm
The Boys & Girls Club of Bethlehem
1430 Fritz Dr. Bethlehem
Learn what community resources are available to you and how voting can impact these resources.
Food and refreshments will be provided.
Guests include:
A Representative of Congresswoman Susan Wild, 7th District
Enid Santiago, New PA Project Education Fund
To RSVP or any questions, please contact Nancy Lopez Sosa at (484) 954-5899 / [email protected]
Translated flyer in Spanish provided below
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Congratulations to Our CEO
Our CEO is one of City and State PA’s Power of Diversity: Black 100 Power list honorees. Read about all the honorees here [[link removed]]
Graphic depicting a picture of Kadida Kenner with words: ''City &State Pennsylvania Power of Diversity: Black 100. Kadida Kenner, CEO, New Pennsylvania Project. Presented by PA Chamber for Black Owned Business and Moravia Health [[link removed]]
We're Hiring!
Come work with the New Pennsylvania Project, and help us expand democracy and transform the electorate in PA.
We’re hiring motivated talent for:
*
Director
of
Strategic
Communications
*
Regional
Organizing
Directors
for
Allegheny
County,
the
Capital
Region
and
the
Poconos
Region
*
Community
Engagement
Associates
-
Statewide
*
Fellows
-
Part-time
View all the job descriptions here [bit.ly/3YW9MFt]
NPP in the News
NPP's CEO, Kadida Kenner's monthly column in the Bucks County Beacon:
Pennsylvanians Must Reject Restrictive Voter ID Laws [[link removed]] (Bucks County Beacon)
"To instill faith in our elections, Pennsylvania lawmakers should pass legislation for same-day voter registration like in North Carolina, and early voting like Georgians are lucky to have. Making the ballot more accessible, and the act of voting quicker and simpler should be the goal, not restrictive voter ID laws advocated for by those who fall for Trump’s Big Lies.
Pennsylvania already has voter ID laws on the books, and they’re effective. The truth is, any additional Voter ID laws are solutions in search of a problem. The Pennsylvania electorate made their voices heard last November. They want an increase to the $7.25/hour minimum wage, fair education funding for our public schools, affordable housing and the protection and expansion of our voting rights. All of our elected officials should work on those issues first and foremost."
News You Can Use
Webster, Kenyatta Propose Legislation to Clarify, Streamline Mail-In Voting Process [[link removed]] (Politics PA)
“While they agree that mail-in and drop-off voting makes the democratic process more accessible for eligible voters in every region throughout our state, it has been a source of confusion and contention. In response to what they say is a lack of clear guidance from the state legislature, the duo is proposing legislation that would clarify and streamline the mail-in voting process in the Commonwealth.
* *
Change
the
term
“permanent”
mailing
list
to
“annual”
mailing
list
to
better
reflect
its
operation
and
purpose.
*
Change
the
deadline
to
apply
for
a
mail-in
or
an
absentee
ballot
from
the
current
deadline
of
7
days
before
Election
Day
to
12
days
before
Election
Day,
ensuring
the
postal
service
has
sufficient
time
to
deliver
ballots.
*
Eliminate
the
requirement
for
the
use
of
secrecy
envelopes,
making
the
choice
to
use
the
envelope
at
the
discretion
of
the
voter.
*
Clarify
that
the
requirement
to
sign
and
date
a
mail-in
or
absentee
ballot
means
to
include
the
date
of
the
voter’s
signature,
and
clarify
that
failure
to
date
a
ballot
cannot
be
the
sole
grounds
to
disqualify
a
ballot.
*
Statutorily
provide
counties
the
authority
to
use
ballot
drop
boxes
and
establish
minimum
requirements
for
counties
that
choose
to
use
them.


Such legislation would clarify some of the issues raised by the decision of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro expects John Fetterman to ‘come back stronger than ever’ after hospitalization for clinical depression [[link removed]] (Philadelphia Inquirer)
“The State Senate previously passed a constitutional amendment that included three amendments, one of which is a voter ID law. The House bill will be a standalone bill that the Republican-controlled Senate will consider.
Should the bill pass both the House and Senate, as well as receive Governor Josh Shapiro’s signature, it will be on the November ballot as a constitutional amendment. for voters to decide.”
PA House starts special session as Dems, GOP spar over operating rules [[link removed]] (City&State PA)
“The new Democratic majority in the state House did end up approving operating rules for the special session on Tuesday after hours of debate with Republicans.
The rules, contained in HR 7, established a special committee called the “Committee to Provide Justice to Otherwise Barred Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse” to advance bills through the legislative process during the special session.
The committee met briefly Tuesday to advance the two measures that would create the two-year legal window, and then the House adjourned until it reconvenes for a non-voting session on Wednesday, and for a voting session on Thursday.“
Tweet of the Week
Tweet Screenshot from Tom Bonier stating: ''Wow. I'm just now getting a first look at the 2022 PA vote history (the record of who voted). In 2014 voters under 30 accounted for only 6.6% of total turnout. In 2018 that went up to 9.8%. In 2022? They accounted for 11.1% of all ballots cast. Huge youth turnout.'' Posted 11:19am on 2/18/23 with 182K views. [[link removed]]
Thank you for taking the time to stay informed. We'll be back in two weeks with the latest edition.
In solidarity,
Team NPP
Graphic picturing Deputy Director of Organizing, Nancy Lopez Sosa and Regional Organizing Director Ben Gillespie in the background at a community event in Norristown [[link removed]]
PA ELECTION DATES:
Municipal/Local/Judicial Primary: May 16, 2023
Last day to register to vote : May 1, 2023
Last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot : May 9, 2023
Municipal/Local/Judicial Election: November 7, 2023
Last day to register to vote : October 23, 2023
Last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot : October 31, 2023
We're on a mission to register new voters in the Commonwealth and expand the electorate.
Help us prepare for the upcoming municipal, judicial, and local elections in 2023!
Invest in our democracy [[link removed]]
The New Pennsylvania Project is a 501(c)(4), contributions are not for charitable purposes and are not tax-deductible.
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