PHILADELPHIA – APRIL 20, 2023 – Today the nonpartisan nonprofit Committee of Seventy announced that, in partnership with the Urban Affairs Coalition, FairVote, The Philadelphia Citizen and the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, it will be polling Philadelphia voters in advance of the city’s landmark 2023 primary to elect our 100th mayor. The poll — which will survey 1,000 Philadelphians in one of the most wide-ranging, competitive mayoral fields in recent memory — will give voters the first nonpartisan look at where the race stands with less than a month to go before Election Day.
“We want every eligible voter to vote, to be informed when they vote, and to vote with confidence,” said Lauren Cristella, Committee of Seventy’s interim president and chief operating officer. “The absence of polling has made it harder for Philadelphians to make informed decisions about whom to support in the mayor’s race, and so we’re excited to be able to fill that gap as a resource to voters.”
The scientific public poll, which will contact Philadelphia voters directly, will be complemented by a public, survey tool on Committee of Seventy’s website, in which anyone can vote on their favorites in the mayor’s race. The scientific poll and the web-based, public survey tool — will give the option for voters to rank their choices in the race. As a result, Philadelphians will be able to see what the impact would be if Pennsylvania instituted ranked-choice voting.
Ranked-choice voting, also known as “instant runoff,” uses formulas that allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference. As a result, if no candidate wins an outright majority, the method factors in second, third and subsequent choices to ensure the most broadly popular candidate is the election winner. Although other cities and states use that method for their elections, Pennsylvania has not yet done so.
“Philadelphians have been clamoring for polls in the mayor’s race for a while now, so it’s appropriate that the first poll would come about through a partnership among multiple nonprofits and the business community,” said Sharmain Matlock-Turner, CEO of the Urban Affairs Coalition. “Our city’s 100th mayor will have an impact on every corner of the city, so we need every Philadelphian to get involved and get their voice heard.”
The polls’ results will be available by Friday, April 28.
“There’s so much at stake in this mayor’s race, and so we need voters to have as much information as possible when deciding how to cast their votes,” said Chellie Cameron, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. “To achieve inclusive growth, we urgently need diverse partners from every corner of the city to work together to raise the standard of living for all Philadelphians.”
Additional resources for voters — including the Committee of Seventy’s Interactive Voter Guide, polling place locator, and information about how to become a poll worker — are available at seventy.org/
About the Committee of Seventy
The Committee of Seventy is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that has promoted, supported and facilitated government ethics and election integrity for more than a century. We believe that elections should be more free, fair, safe and secure. The Committee of Seventy believes that finding common ground is the only path toward a vibrant and open democracy. Approaching problems through a bipartisan framework will lead to outcomes that improve our city, our state and our country.
For more information, find us at: seventy.org/
