What you need to know about the 2023 Pa. general election
Statewide, voters will weigh in on consequential judicial races. In Philadelphia, voters will elect the city's 100th mayor. Here's everything you need to know.
11 months ago
Philly DA Larry Krasner talks about Election Day interference. (Tom MacDonald/WHYY)
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Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is sending a stern warning to anyone who might think about interfering in the election day activities.
“We got a pair of handcuffs, we got a jail cell, and we got a Philadelphia jury,” Kranser said, promising to prosecute anyone who tries to interfere in the vote. “The reason we haven’t had problems here is that the enemies of democracy wouldn’t dare.”
He pointed back to 2020 when two armed men drove from Virginia to Philly and threatened to interrupt the vote count in the presidential election. The two were convicted on gun charges and sentenced to 11.5 to 23 months in prison.
Krasner said if people feel threatened at the polls they can call 911. For other concerns, they can call 215-686-9461 to report issues. The DA’s office has 40 attorneys ready to handle any problems.
Another Election Day concern is the hundreds of invalid ballots at the City Commissioners office that will not be counted. City Commissioner Omar Sabir said there is a multi-step process to properly ensure that you have a legal mail-in ballot.
“Complete the ballot, then it goes into the blue secrecy envelope,” Sabir said. “After it goes into the blue secrecy envelope, it goes into the declaration envelope. and after it goes into the declaration envelope, please sign and date it.”
Sabir said as of Sunday there were over 300 “naked ballots” which haven’t been put into the envelopes, and others without proper signatures. Other issues include ballots either without a date or with a potentially incorrect date.
If you still have a mail-in ballot, it’s too late to get it in. It would have to be deposited in one of the city’s drop boxes or delivered to the City Commissioners office at City Hall before 8 p.m. on Tuesday.