PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Right now, Philadelphia has lined up 689 polling places for its 1,700 polling divisions. City Commissioner Omar Sabir would like to get that above 700 ahead of Election Day on Nov. 5.
“Private polling locations are essential to the city’s electoral infrastructure providing vital access points for voters in every division,” he said.
Commissioners have raised the rental fee the city pays for hosting a polling place to $150. That’s up from the previous rental fee of $110 set in 2018. The fee is also per division, so locations where two or three divisions can fit on the property, it could double or triple the payment.
Sabir said the desired expansion of in-person locations is so voters will be less prone to make errors as can happen with mail-in ballots.
“People are making mistakes with the vote-by-mail ballots. It’s less likely for people to make mistakes if they’re voting on the machines,” he said.
Sabir also believes that having more places to vote will encourage in-person voting, especially if they’re nearby or in familiar places.
“Barbershops, beauty salons. They play a critical role in our communities so we’re really calling on the barbershops, but if you have a senior facility, apartment complex, any location,” he said.
Want to host a polling place on Election Day? Sabir said to contact the City Commissioner’s Office and they’ll send someone out to inspect for ADA compliance.
“By taking this historic step, we are ensuring that every voter in Philadelphia has equal access to a well-run, efficient and fair election process,” said Sabir. “This is a victory for democracy.”