PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Tuesday brought National Voter Registration Day, and Philadelphia officials and advocates made an upbeat plea to eligible voters to make sure they are registered by the Pennsylvania registration deadline of Oct. 24.
There was a festive air to the event at the Octavius Catto sculpture on the south side of Philadelphia City Hall, with Flyers mascot Gritty and the Phillie Phanatic vamping and taking selfies.
But City Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa Deeley said the stakes for registering in time for the Nov. 8th midterm elections are serious, as it is seen by many as one of the most consequential midterms in years.
“We don’t want to wait and ask ourselves 60 days from now, ‘What could we have done? Could we have done more?’” said Deeley.
“The first thing you can do is make sure you’re registered to vote.”
The event was organized by nonpartisan election watchdog group Committee of Seventy, now led by former City Commissioner Al Schmidt. He said the group’s goal goes beyond just signing up voters this time around.
“To promote a culture of voting across Pennsylvania,” said Schmidt. “Democracy is not a spectator sport, as they say.”
Schmidt gained national attention in 2020 as city commissioner for defending Philadelphia’s voting integrity against false allegations from his fellow Republicans, in the face of threats to him and his family.
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At the Committee of Seventy, he oversees the WeVote project to reach voters through partnerships with their employers.
“We have more than 100 businesses and organizations who have already joined,” he said.
That includes the city’s pro sports teams. While the Phillies and Flyers sent mascots, the Philadelphia 76ers sent 1970s legend World B. Free, who said his adopted name shows his passion about voting.
“I wish the world could be free one day,” said Free, “and that statement goes right to what we’re doing here today.”
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The Catto statue’s presence at the event brought additional significance. Catto, an African-American voting rights activist, was murdered in Election Day violence in 1871.
“This guy died for the right to vote,” said Kenney. “We’ve had people go to war and lose their lives for the right to vote. Don’t sit on your couch or in your kitchen and say it’s too hard to do.”
Since the May primary, the City Commissioners have processed more than 130,000 registration applications, including some 40,000 for new voters.