City of Philadelphia - File #: 060511

• File #: 060511
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 6/1/2006
• In control: CITY COUNCIL
• Final action: 6/1/2006
• Title: Calling 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.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Rizzo, Councilmember Rizzo, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Ramos, Councilmember Ramos, Councilmember Nutter, Councilmember Nutter, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Clarke, Councilmember Clarke, Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember O'Neill, Councilmember Kelly, Councilmember Kelly, Councilmember Miller, Councilmember Miller, Council President Verna, Council President Verna, Councilmember DiCicco, Councilmember DiCicco, Councilmember Krajewski, Councilmember Krajewski

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
6/1/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED
6/1/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED
6/1/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	READ
6/1/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	READ
6/1/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced
6/1/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced

Title

Calling 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.

Body

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