PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The 2024 presidential primary election in Pennsylvania falls on the Jewish holiday of Passover, the first and last two days of which are days of religious observance for many.
Some fear that could discourage Jewish voters from going to the polls.
Next year, Passover begins in the evening of April 22 and lasts through April 30. The primary is currently scheduled for April 23, 2024.
“When people who are not Jewish think of days when Jews really won’t go out and vote or do anything, they always think of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur,” said Robin Schatz, director of government affairs for the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
But those aren’t the only Jewish holidays that require formal observance. Observant Jews do not drive or work on those days, meaning in-person voters could not get to the polls.
Related
Schatz said many lawmakers may be unfamiliar with the Jewish calendar’s lunar holidays, which don’t usually sync up with the Gregorian calendar.
“We need to do a better job of educating our elected officials and our administrations of what are important days,” she said.
Schatz said the Jewish Federation has made its concerns known to Pennsylvania lawmakers, who have already proposed moving the primary up by a month, to March 19, to make the state more relevant to primary season.
“We’re going to wait and see what the state comes back with in terms of date, whether or not they are going to change the date of the primary,” she said.
Maryland’s primary is also slated for the first day of Passover.
Related
If the date is not changed, Schatz said the Jewish Federation will educate and encourage people to vote by mail.
“We will just do a more concerted effort … to make sure that people are aware of the option, but we still have time.”