State Rep. Jared Solomon, League of Women Voters, Committee of Seventy and the Times will host a conference on election reform.
By State Rep. Jared Solomon and David Thornburgh
Less than a month from now, Pennsylvanians go to the polls for an important midterm election. It comes at the end of a tumultuous year for voting in our commonwealth. The state Supreme Court struck down and then re-drew congressional districts. Several months later, redistricting reform bills were endorsed by leaders in the Pennsylvania House and Senate, though none have become law yet. Similarly, the idea of opening up primary elections to independent (or non-affiliated) voters gained more momentum.
Underlying the calls for change is a growing frustration with government, one poll finding that not even half of Pennsylvanians trust state government to handle problems, 38th in the country. Meanwhile, an increasing number of voters, especially young people, are registering as independents — more than 770,000 across the commonwealth as of this month. And voter turnout remains stubbornly low, especially in midterm and municipal election years (18 percent statewide in the May primary). All of this is against the backdrop of Russian interference in the 2016 election, which included cyber attacks on 21 state election agencies, including the Pennsylvania Department of State.
Despite the challenges, this creates a special opportunity to advance reform in a state with 1930s-era election laws. We cannot afford to let it pass us by.
That is why, as the representative for the 202nd District and the CEO of the Committee of Seventy, we are partnering with the League of Women Voters and the Northeast Times to host a special conference on election reform. On Tuesday, Oct. 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Protestant Home (6401 Martins Mill Road), we will be bringing together election experts and Northeast Philadelphians to discuss various ways we can reform our current system. This event is not a lecture. We invite attendees to learn from and engage face-to-face with people well-versed in current election law and the different efforts to improve it. We want Northeast residents to brainstorm what an ideal electoral system is, to discuss and deliberate about how to achieve that system, and to strategize how citizens and elected officials can make it so. An informed and engaged citizenry is the backbone of a strong democracy. We look forward to a productive dialogue on Oct. 23. ••
Solomon represents the 202nd Legislative District. Thornburgh is president and CEO of the Committee of Seventy. Contact Solomon (7012 Castor Ave., 215–342–6340) or register here.
