Our Endorsements; Save the Academy; Election Day Voter Contest
PNN Endorsements & Ballot Questions for the MidtermPhilly Neighborhood Networks prides ourselves on our deliberative process to endorse candidates. It involves detailed questionnaires to candidates, followed by interviews to probe their thoughts about specific duties for the office to which they aspire. All PNN members are invited to provide questions and to watch the interviews; then we create a brief on each candidate along with our recommendation to our members; then our dues-paying members vote on who PNN will endorse. This process assures that we have done our due diligence on the candidates and the issues, and it provides a sweeping and thoughtful approach to deciding who we will hire to represent us. But this election has a whole different vibe to it, and it is evident that a major political party has capitulated to the MAGA crowd and become their enablers. We can clearly see the daily destruction of our political and social norms to appease the whims of a modern-day Caligula. We believe this is no time for cowardice in the face of fascism, and that a firm and clear stand against these sociopaths is needed to save our democracy. Voting is the minimum we can do in this dangerous time. It is for this reason that Philly Neighborhood Networks makes a blanket endorsement of all Democratic candidates on the ballot for the 2026 Midterm Election.While every candidate has their faults, this election has a clear red line between the two major parties, and the very real possibility that there will be election interference from the Tangerine Tyrant and his henchmen. And while we cannot guarantee that a massive turnout will stop fascism, we know that the bad guys win if we do nothing. So, we are going to need your vote and your family's votes, and your reluctant neighbor's votes because in this moment Everybody's Vote Matters. As a Philly voter, you'll have the option to vote for the Governor, your Member of Congress, and your State Representative. We ask that you cast your ballot for every single Democrat on your ballot. In Philly, you also have two ballot questions to consider. We recommend YES on both. The First Ballot Question is a Charter Change about who gets hired in Philly. Last October, the Trump-aligned, Stephen Miller-founded nonprofit "America First" Legal won a settlement from the City of Philadelphia over municipal contracting practices. For four decades, the City had set a goal of awarding between 25-35 percent of all contracts to “minority, women, or disabled-owned enterprises.” Part of the 2025 settlement required that policy to end. Voting YES will restore balance to this process by giving preference to local small businesses over big outside conglomerates. The new part: City Council can pass ordinances to give contracts between $75,000 and $500,000 to responsible small and/or Philadelphia businesses, even if they’re not the lowest bidder. The Second Ballot Question is also a Charter Change. It would make Creative Philadelphia (formerly known as the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy) a formal and permanent part of the government under the City’s Charter. Currently, the department operates under an executive order, essentially at the will of the sitting mayor. Voting YES will codify Philadelphia’s commitment to the arts. Additionally, it will make the head of the department a member of the mayor’s cabinet, and it consolidates the City’s Public Art and Mural Arts programs, along with “other municipal arts programs and initiatives” under the department’s purview. You can read more about these ballot questions here____________________________________ Actions with Our Allies ___________________________________ Call to Save the Academy!ASAP, Leave a Message with City Council The City Council hearing on the Academy of Natural Sciences took place this past Monday, and it was a doozy! The chambers were packed to the rafters (yes, they dusted off the cobwebs and opened up the balcony section due to the overwhelming number of people who showed up). Then the Committee on Legislative Oversight heard from experts about the importance of the Academy to the city, and Drexel and Academy’s Board representatives took the hot seat and were grilled by Council to answer questions and provide documents for their decisions. It was learned during this exchange that the real cost to repair and maintain the Academy's museum would be a drop in the financial bucket for the City of Philadelphia's $7 billion budget, and attendees were quite vocal about this discovery - one that should have been made publicly available month's ago - so much so that Chairman Thomas needed to rein in the crowd a few times. There is still work to be done, and another Committee hearing is planned for Tuesday, November 17th. What can you do? Click here to Call on City Council with instructions on call scripts, phone numbers, and guidance on what to say to each Council member. We are asking them to move Council Member Young’s Academy zoning bill out of the Rules Committee and to the full Council for a vote. We also want the City to find the funds - either through partnerships or within our budget - to re-open the museum to the public as soon as possible. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ What You Can Do to Protect the ElectionPNN took part in a call with allies this week organized by Indivisible Philadelphia to discuss the coming election and the expected chaos and trouble that will be unleashed by the Tangerine Tyrant and his band of goons to disrupt what will likely be one of the biggest Blue Waves in our lifetimes. We want to win big to make it harder for the fascist regime to cheat on Tuesday and the days following, right up to January 3rd when new members are scheduled to be seated, but we should be ready at a moment's notice if they do because the DOJ formally requested access to polling places from our City Commissioners and the Commissioners told them "No way!" in a press conference on Wednesday. We gamed out a number of scenarios that could play out here in Philly. We concluded that it is more likely that trouble will rise in states with contested Senate seats, so Philly's role may be more in support - making calls to constituents in those states with advice and encouragement. However, we plan to be ready for any shenanigans. We are using Indivisible's "No Kings" link as a way to keep our disparate groups and concerned citizens in the loop, so take a moment to sign up for more information below. And get your friends and neighbors out to vote on Tuesday! Election Protection__________________________________________________________________________________________ Election Day Voter Challenge!Tuesday, November 3rd Looking for a way to help this election and want to have a little fun doing it? Our friends at Working Families Party are having an Election Day Contest for voter turnout and you are welcome to join! Here's how it works:
Without community outreach, we’d expect about half of the voters on each list to vote - roughly 15 people out of the 30 you will be assigned. But we know that talking to your neighbors is one of the best ways to boost turnout, and that the best messengers are neighbors themselves. We think we can do even better than just 15 people! Here's where the contest comes in -
And there’s more! The 10 who get the highest number of people on their lists to vote will win additional fun swag and prizes. Votes will be tallied and entered into the system a couple of weeks after the election. So, be patient as the City Commissioners get that information to us. Good luck and happy vote-hunting! Election Day Contest_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Knock Doors to Win in NE PhillyMultiple Dates Until Election Day This is our opportunity to capture a GOP stronghold seat in the Far Northeast on Tuesday, and you can help make it happen. The race for HD-170 pits Democratic challenger Rob Gurtcheff against GOP incumbent Martina White, whose decade in office has been marked by hyper-partisanship, including legislation to withhold state funds from Philadelphia due to its sanctuary city policies, and questioning the results of the 2020 presidential election. If you want to make an impact, then this is the place to go. Learn more about Rob. CanvassThanks for your activism! Tim Brown, Organizing Director Send Donation to: Philly Neighborhood Networks, c/o Gloria Gilman, 121 S. Broad St, Suite 1710, Phila, PA 19107 Contributions to Philly Neighborhood Networks using the above link are not tax deductible. If you prefer to make a tax-deductible donation to our 501(c)(3) org, Philly Neighborhood Networks Justice Fund Please Click Here for Tax-Deductible LinkLearn more about Philly Neighborhood Networks Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter and Instagram and YouTube |
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