For Immediate Release: Friday, November 21, 2025
Contact: Andrew McGinley, amcginley@seventy.org, 215-370-4153
The Committee of Seventy supports ending Philadelphia’s “Resign to Run” requirement only as part of a broader reform package that includes term limits and stronger safeguards for ethical, transparent government. The proposal now before City Council – including the amendment that limits the change to non-municipal races and elected officials, exempting city employees from this reform – does not meet that standard. Narrowing the reform in this way serves political interests, not the public interest, and undercuts the core reason to revisit this issue at all: increasing competitiveness and accountability in city elections.
“Resign to Run” has been in the City Charter since the 1950s to prevent public officials from misusing city resources to support political campaigns or neglect their duties while running for another office. Philadelphia voters have twice rejected efforts to eliminate it – a rare outcome – signaling deep public skepticism.
Although Philadelphia has strong ethics and campaign-finance rules, they are not currently written to address the legal and ethical challenges that are sure to happen when sitting officials seek another office. If the City is going to revisit this provision, it must also modernize those rules and pair any change with forward-looking term limits – ideally allowing Councilmembers to serve up to three terms, with current members eligible for three terms after adoption.
Seventy will only support eliminating Resign to Run if it is done alongside term limits and safeguards that strengthen public trust. Piecemeal changes – especially those crafted for specific political interests – fall short of the kind of reform Philadelphians expect and deserve.