WHEREAS, There are more than 100 non-traditional polling places in Philadelphia including polling places located in personal residences, neighborhood tap rooms, barbershops and bakeries; and
WHEREAS, These non-traditional polling places allow voters to vote closer to where they live; and
WHEREAS, On May 12, 2006 Governor Rendell signed into law legislation that could require moving to other facilities, many non-traditional polling places including neighborhood bakeries, barber shops, tap rooms and private residences; and
WHEREAS, Starting with the November 2007 general election, polling places can no longer be located in neighborhood tap rooms or places that are not accessible to the handicapped; and
WHEREAS, Polling places located in a neighborhood facilities that are not handicap-accessible, will have to be moved to the nearest public building in an adjacent ward; and
WHEREAS, Moving polling locations could confuse voters about where to vote and cause some voters to travel far from home to vote; and
WHEREAS, For these and other reasons some voting-rights advocates opposed the legislation; and
WHEREAS, Some Philadelphia neighborhoods have few alternatives to locating polling places in personal residences, neighborhood tap rooms, bakeries and barber shops which are not handicap accessible; and
WHEREAS, The legislation will leave some neighborhoods with no polling place because they can’t make neighborhood locations handicap-accessible; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we call on Governor Rendell and the Pennsylvania General Assembly to Delay Implementation of Senate Bill 999 as it relates to locating Polling Places in Personal Residences, Neighborhood Bakeries and Barbershops and to Further Provide Reasonable and Appropriate Exemptions to the Law in Hardship Cases.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Governor Rendell, Lieutenant Governor Baker Knoll and all members of the State House and Senate.
End