Last chance to register to vote in Philadelphia primary

What questions do you have about the 2023 elections? What major issues do you want candidates to address? Let us know.

Monday, May 1, is the final day voters can register ahead of Philly’s primary election in two weeks.

If you’re unsure if you are registered, you can check your voting status on the state’s voter services website. If you’re not registered, you can apply online. County voter registration offices also accept mailed in applications, but they must be received by the end of the day on May 1.

During last year’s general election, nearly 1.1 million people were registered to vote in Philadelphia. Democratic voters made up more than 807,000 of those, while Republicans accounted for just under 121,000. Others made up 143,000.

Groups like the New Pennsylvania Project have been working to get more voters registered in the city and across the state.

“More than 1.2 million Pennsylvanians are eligible to vote in this moment, but choose not to be registered for various reasons,” Kadida Kenner, NPP’s founding CEO, said. “It is the work of the New Pennsylvania project…to travel this state, to be engaged in the entire commonwealth, and get the majority. ”

NPP also works to improve the diversity of the voter rolls. Kenner said, “21% of all Black folks who are eligible to vote are not registered. That number jumps to 35% for Latinos eligible to vote in the commonwealth, but not registered. That number is even greater in the Asia Pacific Islander community: 41% of the Asia Pacific Islander community here in Pennsylvania eligible to vote and not registered.”

She said the numbers represent a huge opportunity to “engage this constituency and get them involved.”