Post-Election Roundup: local results | provisional ballots | where Philly votes | steal these urban policy ideas
Good morning, Streeters. Looks like we’ll see our first taste of winter today, as a windy, rainy/slushy/snowy storm arrives. Bundle up and leave extra time to get home today. We’re a bit tired from watching election returns and speeches last night, but in the name of one last Election 2012 hurrah, here’s a special election edition of The Buzz:
Election Results Roundup:
- Pennsylvania voters, particularly in and around cities, helped carry President Obama to victory. [Philly.com; The Atlantic Cities]
- The Philly region will send its congressional incumbents back to Washington: Representatives Chaka Fattah, Bob Brady, Allyson Schwartz, Jim Gerlach, Patrick Meehan, and Mike Fitzpatrick were all reelected.
- Senator Bob Casey held on to his seat. [NewsWorks]
- Pennsylvania legislature will remain in Republican control, though the margin in the House was narrowed [Patriot-News/AP]
- Kathleen Kane will be Pennsylvania’s first Democrat, and first female, Attorney General. [Inquirer]
- All four local ballot questions passed – we’re particularly interested to know what transit and infrastructure projects the city will put that $123 million toward. [Daily News]
Hundreds of city voters had to cast provisional ballots because their names were not found in the books, City Paper reports. Temple and Penn student voters were particularly affected, but an unusually high number of long-registered voters were missing from the voter rolls. A few polling places across the city ran out of provisional ballots.
Philadelphians vote in some amazing places – social clubs, barbershops, people’s basements, auto repair shops – and the Polling Place Project has incredible pictures documenting many of these temporary civic spaces.
The Atlantic Cities offers eight urban policy ideas that President Obama should steal, including funding high-speed rail and establishing an infrastructure bank.
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