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Philadelphia City Council | Committee on Law and Government | Bill No. 140031

Testimony submitted to the National Commission on Voting Rights

Testimony submitted to the Presidential Commission on Election Administration

by Emily Arnold McCully

The Committee of Seventy, Philadelphia Chairman Commissioner Omar Sabir, OnePhillyConnect and other partners will hold a special event and press conference ahead of the October 29th deadline to request a mail-in ballot. The event aims to increase awareness about the Satellite Election Offices (SEOs) across the city and the services available at each location, as well as City Hall, while encouraging city employees and other nearby businesses to cast their mail-in ballot at one of these locations.

The Committee of Seventy’s President and CEO, Lauren Cristella, provides tips and advice for people concerned about potentially contentious political discussions during the holiday season.

The Committee of Seventy was joined by The Welcoming Center, Philadelphia City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, Philadelphia Chairman Commissioner Omar Sabir, Philadelphia Commissioner Seth Bluestein and community partners to announce that its How Philly Works Guide is now available in Spanish and Chinese, with a French version expected to be released soon.

On May 14, 2025, the Committee of Seventy welcomed more than 300 guests for its fourth annual Women in Public Leadership event, which celebrates the contributions of women leading at all levels. This year’s theme, The Power of Mentorship: Celebrating Women Who Carry as They Climb, highlighted the important role mentorship plays in shaping strong civic and public leaders.

The Committee of Seventy is launching a series of information sessions for Pennsylvanians to learn how to run for the elected poll worker positions that will be on the ballot during the primary election on May 20th. These sessions, held from February 10–14, will guide participants through the qualifications to run, how to complete and submit nomination petitions, and how to use a street list to understand and engage their community in the process.

As nomination petitions become available and the first day to circulate approaches, the Committee of Seventy, in partnership with Black Leadership Pennsylvania, hosted a sold-out launch event focused on Philadelphia’s ward system and the powerful, often-overlooked role of committee person – signaling growing public interest in neighborhood-level political participation ahead of the May primary election.