Voter registration picks up in Philadelphia

As the general election approaches, Philadelphia’s city commissioners are reporting an increase in voter registrations.

Dennis Lee, chief deputy for the office of Stephanie Singer, says the rolls are benefiting from an annual post-labor Day boost.

“After Labor Day, people get more tuned in and more focused on the election coming up,” he said.

Since March, almost 80,000 people have registered to vote, versus 80,000 in just the month of September back in 2008.

Lee emphasizes the test for Philadelphia will be turnout on Election Day.

In 2011, only about a fifth of the city’s 1 million registered voters turned out to elect the mayor, Lee said.  “And I don’t think that’s a good number in any kind of class that I took in school,” says Lee. “Twenty percent did not pass the grade. I couldn’t bring home any less than 75 percent.”

At least some of the new applications received will turn out to be for changes to records, such as a new address or party affiliation.

The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 9.