🇺🇲 It’s Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. And a special PA election day and National Voter Registration Day. Have a great day, PA
Pennsylvania Weather
☁️ Titusville | Mostly gloomy, 79
☁️ Small | Cloudy, 79
🌤️ Lackawaxen | Mostly radiant, 78
Sports PA
⚾ Phillies (90-60) | Milwaukee 2-6 | Tuesday-Wednesday vs. Milwaukee
⚾ Pirates (71-79) | St. Louis 0-4 | Tuesday-Thursday vs. St. Louis
🏈 Eagles (1-1) | Atlanta 21-22 | Sun vs. New Orleans
⚽ Union (7-9-12) | Wed vs. NYC FC
🗓️ What’s happening todayThe Senate meets at 1:00 p.m. Vice President Kamala Harris will be interviewed by NABJ journalists at the WHYY studios in Philadelphia at 2:30 p.m.
👂 What do we hear“It’s female supremacy on steroids,” she said. David Paleologdirector of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. “In all three data sets, the female advantage is about twice as large as Trump’s advantage among men.”
🗞️ You asked for PA News. We deliver. Where can you find the latest news on what’s happening in Keystone State politics? Sign up for the PoliticsPA Playbook. We’ll deliver all the latest headlines in an easy-to-read format every weekday at 8 a.m. And it’s free. Add your name to the list and sign up now.
The most significant story
1. Suffolk poll shows Harris ahead of Trump in Pennsylvania and two signature counties
“Vice President Kamala Harris has an advantage over the former president Donald Trump in Pennsylvania as well as in two key Keystone State counties, according to a USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll released Monday evening.
Harris, the Democratic nominee, has a three-point lead over the Republican nominee, 49%-46%, in the survey of 500 likely voters in the Commonwealth conducted Sept. 12-15. The results are within the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 points.
In the US Senate elections, the incumbent Democrat senator Bob Casey Jr. leads the Republican challenger Dave McCormick47-43%.” (PoliticsPA)
Elsewhere
‘This Is How Pennsylvania Goes’: Inside the Harris-Trump Fight for 2024’s Top Battleground“The state could hinge on undecided voters in northeastern Pennsylvania and its emerging ‘Latino Belt.’ That includes the Lehigh Valley, home to Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and several smaller municipalities.” (USA today)
- The Harris-Walz campaign is hosting a bus tour promoting abortion rights in Harrisburg on Wednesday. (PennLive)
Trump Targets Western PA District for Growing Haitian Population Amid False Accusations of Migrants Eating Pets in Ohio. “A borough manager said Haitian immigrants are ‘not a burden’ on Charleroi, despite Donald Trump’s insinuations on stage in Tucson, Arizona, on Thursday.” (“Philadelphia Inquirer”)
- Local GOP legislator opposes Trump’s attacks on Haitians in Charleroi, Pennsylvania. (Cornerstone)
- Charleroi’s immigration official says the nationwide attention has stressed the district’s Haitian population. (Washington Observer-Reporter)
With 7 Weeks Until Election Day, Harris and Biden Set Their Focus on Pennsylvania“President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are starting the week the way they spent most of last week — in Pennsylvania.” (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
Biden Speaks Out on Historically Black Colleges, Denounces Anti-Haitian Rhetoric During Philadelphia Visit“While President Joe Biden spoke Monday during a visit to Philadelphia about his commitment to historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, he also strengthened his stance against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s anti-Haitian immigration rhetoric.” (Philadelphia Grandstand)
Country
2. 2020 Déjà Vu: Why it could take days for the 2024 election results to be announced
“Four years ago, former President Trump seized on expected delays in counting mail-in and absentee ballots cast by Democrats in key battleground states to fuel false claims that the election had been stolen. Experts warn that could happen again in 2024.
Why it matters: New laws and regulations have been introduced in states where voting in 2020 was most important to speed up vote counting — but many of the rules and timelines will likely remain the same.
And in those swing states—Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia—the margin of victory in the presidential race could be even smaller this time around.” (Axial)
Elsewhere
Pennsylvania counties can start printing absentee ballots after state Supreme Court rules Cornel West can’t join the vote“Pennsylvania counties can begin printing and distributing absentee ballots after the Pennsylvania Department of State finalizes the list of candidates who will appear on the ballot on Monday.” (“Philadelphia Inquirer”)
Inside the Pennsylvania mail-in voting battle that could change the election“Thousands of votes could remain uncounted in ongoing legal battle in Pennsylvania due to paperwork error.” (known)
Why do election experts oppose hand counting? “Election experts agree that hand-counting takes longer than machine-counting, is less reliable and poses a logistical nightmare for U.S. elections — including in Pennsylvania.”AP)
Shapiro’s New Automatic Voter Registration Benefits Republicans 2-to-1. “Sometimes, political actions have unintended consequences. When Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Montgomery County Democrat, introduced a new measure that allowed residents who had obtained driver’s licenses and state ID cards to register to vote, some Republican and conservative elected officials were not happy about it.” (Washington Examiner)
Republican Attorney General Nominee Strikes Moderate Tone Sunday with PennLive Editorial Board. “Dave Sunday, the GOP candidate for state attorney general, tried to soften the extreme rhetoric dominating the top of his party during a meeting with PennLive’s editorial board on Monday.” (PennLive)
Around the Commonwealth of Nations
3. Map Fun: Voter Registration by County (September 2024)
“With fifty days to go before the 2024 presidential election, we decided to take a closer look at the commonwealth’s voter registration numbers and their potential impact in November.
Democrats (3.93 million) still have a registration advantage over Republicans (3.58 million) by about 343,000 voters. That number is down 13,000 since our last count. The number of unaffiliated voters is just over a million (1.06 million), while the number of non-affiliated voters is just under 345,000.” (PoliticsPA)
Elsewhere
Will Kamala Harris regain support in Trump-friendly ‘rust belt’ Pennsylvania? “Once Democratic strongholds, Nanticoke and similar former industrial towns across Pennsylvania have begun a rightward swing that has been further bolstered by Trump’s populism.” (“Philadelphia Inquirer”)
Luzerne County Board of Elections certifies Jamie Walsh as winner of Republican nomination for state House of Representatives“Nearly five months after the primary election, Jamie Walsh officially won the Republican nomination for the Luzerne County House of Representatives seat on Monday.” (WVIA)
Democrats unbeaten in fight for two vacancies in Philadelphia’s state House“Philadelphia voters on Tuesday will fill two vacant state House seats in special elections, and in both cases the Democratic candidate is the only person on the ballot.” (AP)
Bradley, Dintini in Spotlight of RSLC, Right Leaders Network“As part of its ongoing effort to grow and strengthen the Republican Party by promoting more women and diverse candidates for lower-level state offices, the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) is launching its 2024 Right Leaders Network Spotlight Candidates Series this weekend, showcasing a slate of leaders who will be on the ballot across the country in 2024.” (PoliticsPA)
DLCC identifies 19 PA races worth watching with 50 days to go“In a memo shared with PoliticsPA, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) shared its focus on directing resources and attention to Pennsylvania and 19 races that will impact the election outcome.” (PoliticsPA)
Editorial
4. What do you mean
- The Pennsylvania Supreme Court wrongly took the opportunity to regulate election procedures. (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
- The dilemma over the dating of Pennsylvania’s votes is a political Groundhog Day. (Greensburg Tribune-Review)
- We need a voter ID law — but only if it attracts more voters. (Adriana E. Ramirez)
- Pennsylvania should celebrate Japanese investment in its steel industry. (Michal Stelzig)
- The immigrants you fear are just like your ancestors. Don’t fall for political scare tactics. (Jos Joseph)
- Are you sure the presidential race will be close? (Stuart Rothenberg)
- How Trump can win Pennsylvania. (Guy Ciarrocchi)
- Taking away students’ smartphones won’t stop school shootings. Pennsylvania lawmakers need to pass gun laws. (LNP | Lancaster Online)
- National Voter Registration Day is more significant than ever. (Christina Becvar)
1 thing
5. NBA joins forces to boost polls
“Democracy thrives when everyone plays their part, and this election cycle, the NBA is stepping up to the plate to make sure every vote is counted. We’re partnering with Power the Polls and Vet the Vote to recruit the next wave of election workers — a critical role in ensuring elections run smoothly.
Election workers are the unsung heroes of Election Day. From keeping polling places open to ensuring technology runs smoothly, they help voters vote with confidence. It’s not just a civic duty—it’s a chance to give back, support the democratic process, and even earn a little extra income.” (NBA)
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