Pennsylvania Primary: 4 Ballot Questions, School Board Elections, Court Vacancies To Be Decided
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Pennsylvania's primary election is tomorrow. In Philadelphia, the most prominent race is for the Democratic candidate for district attorney, but that's not the only decision that will be made.
Statewide, there are school board elections, several races to fill vacancies on the courts, and four ballot questions.
Another battle is keeping the polls staffed. We are told that a number of poll workers have called out tomorrow. Philadelphia officials say that all locations will be functional but this afternoon did put out the call for anyone else interested.
"Local elections probably have a greater effect on their lives," said David Thornburgh.
Thornburgh is the head of the Committee of 70, a nonpartisan, civic leadership organization.
"The DA's race in Philadelphia is kind of the marquee election," Thornburgh said.
On the ballot for the Democratic nominee for Philadelphia district attorney is incumbent Larry Krasner, a former defense attorney who continues to be supported by those seeking social justice reform. His Democratic opponent, former prosecutor Carlos Vega, is backed by the police union and former Gov. Ed Rendell.
Voters have once again been given the option to vote by mail or in person. Outside of Philadelphia, voters can come without masks. Poll workers are required to wear them.
Also on the ballot statewide are four questions, two of which have received a lot of attention.
"Because they are reflective of the political back and forth that was going on during the pandemic," Thornburgh said.
If passed, they would amend the commonwealth's constitution, lessening the governor's power over emergency declarations.
Pennsylvania is one of only nine states with strict closed elections so ballot questions are all nearly 900,000 nonpartisan voters are eligible to weigh in on.
"It's the fastest-growing segment of the voter population and yet those people basically sit on their hands on election day," Thornburgh said.
The third ballot question seeks to prohibit the denial of equal rights based on race or ethnicity and the fourth deals with loans made available to municipal fire companies.
