🗳️It’s Election Day | Morning Newsletter
And how to navigate problems at the polls
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Today’s the big day. The polls in Pennsylvania open at 7 a.m. and you’ll have until 8 p.m. to cast your vote. Leave your jacket at home, temperatures are forecast to reach 70 degrees.
The most high-profile race on the ballot is the Philly mayor’s race. Voters will choose the city’s 100th mayor.
Other key races include Philadelphia City Council seats, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, county commissioners, and the New Jersey legislature.
Our lead story takes a closer look at the at-large Philly City Council races. It follows Republicans and progressives as they competed to expand their bases during the final days of a heated campaign.
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, [email protected])
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In today’s general election, two Republicans and two third-party candidates are running for a pair of at-large Philadelphia City Council seats reserved for non-Democrats. They spent their final days of their campaign trying to attract voters and convince them to try something new.
The Republicans: They believe Philly’s future hinges on a law-enforcement approach to public safety and a more business-friendly environment. They’re trying to reach the city’s 115,000 registered Republicans and some moderate Democrats as they face their party’s possible elimination from the city’s legislative body.
The Working Families Party: They believe the city needs to pour resources into neighborhoods most impacted by crime. They have to win over some independents and convince some of the city’s nearly 800,000 Democrats to go against their own party.
Keep reading to learn the details of both parties’ strategies.
If you’re over 18 and a U.S. citizen who has been a Pennsylvania resident for at least 30 days before Election Day, you can vote if you’re registered.
Casting your vote should be easy. But just in case, we compiled some answers to common problems you might run into at the polls.
What if I lost my ID and can’t replace it in time?
In Pennsylvania, only first-time voters and people voting at a new polling place need to show an ID. If that describes you, you can still vote but you’ll need to find a non-photo ID that shows your name and address. Things like a current utility bill, a bank statement, or a paycheck will do.
What should I do if I show up to my usual polling place and find out that it moved?
Check the Department of State’s Polling Place Search tool or call your local election office. Polling places can change up to 20 days before Election Day.
For more solutions to common voting problems, we have you covered.
What you should know today
On the first day of John Dougherty’s embezzlement trial, prosecutors cast the ex-labor leader’s spending as a betrayal of his union with a dizzying array of expense reports, union records, and invoices from retailers. His defense called it “an honest mistake.”
Philadelphia Republican mayoral candidate David Oh has been quiet on his Election Day plans.
A Philadelphia teenager who witnessed a murder and called 911 ended up getting convicted. After 15 years in prison, he’s now exonerated.
South Jersey political power broker George Norcross was ejected from Sunday’s Eagles game after draping a U.S.-Israeli flag out of a window of a luxury box at the Lincoln Financial Field.
A Pennsylvania nurse who told coworkers that elderly patients “just needed to die” has been charged with killing four with insulin overdoses.
Offshore wind company Orsted wants to get out of a $300 million forfeiture for its scrapped plans of wind farms off New Jersey’s coast.
Columnist Stephanie Farr taste-tested all of Wawa’s Thanksgiving offerings. Yes, this includes the classic Gobbler.
It’s never too late to be informed.
Beef up your knowledge before picking your choices for Philly’s 100th mayor, Philly City Council members, and a Pennsylvania Supreme Court judge.
But also don’t forget to choose the city controller, the sheriff, and the register of wills today.
Consider this a quick refresher before you cast your vote.
🧠Trivia time
Cirque du Soleil will make its Philly debut of the beloved arena show, Corteo, next year.
Which month will it come to the city?
A) January
B) March
C) May
D) August
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
đź‘€ Watching: The demolition of a historic Norristown prison was put on hold.
⛸️ Anticipating: The Rothman Orthopeadics Ice Rink at Dilworth Park will be back this week.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: R&B Records
DAPPER RUBY
We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Email us if you know the answer. Cheers to Tom Dinnella, who correctly guessed Monday’s answer: Susan Noles.
Photo of the day
That’s a wrap for today. Go out and vote. Let’s talk about the results bright and early tomorrow.