How are you? >> Oh, that's right. Yes, you are. How do you not know what that is? Why is that one? >> Yeah. I had to put it on.
>> You can't really hear unless you're like on a microphone. You can't really hear. He was really dancing. I'm watching it like, okay, >> it's on. You can Oh my gosh. Good morning.
Call to order the meeting of the Philadelphia City Commissioners Board of Election for Wednesday, April 8th, 2026. This meeting is in compliance with the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act. The Philadelphia City Commissioners are a three member bipartisan board of elected
officials in charge of elections and voter registration for the city of Philadelphia. Each commissioner is elected to serve a four-year term that coincides with the municipal election cycle for mayor and city council. The commissioner set and enforce
departmental policies to administer voter registration and conduct elections in accordance with federal and state voter registration election laws. The city commissioners were created by the Pennsylvania assembly in 1711 with a focus on taxation and held various
regulatory powers throughout the centuries. The commissioner started maintaining voter list in 1799 and took on more election related responsibilities but didn't emerge in its current form until the adoption of the Philadelphia homewood charter in 1951.
We will start off with public comments before beginning their comments. shall state where they live or if they are not a resident of Philadelphia and that they are Philadelphia taxpayer. Public comment is not an opportunity for dialogue or Q&A. It is public comment a
chance for you to tell us what you think. Each speaker will have two minutes to speak. However, I may extend the time at my discretion. Public comment must concern matters on today's meeting agenda. Finally, it is my responsibility to preserve the order and
decorum of the meetings as such. Profane, slanderous, discriminatory, personal attacks will not be tolerated. If you wish to make a public objection to a perceived Sunshine Act violation, please raise your hand and I will recognize you. Outbursts will not be
tolerated. Anyone wishing to offer public comment, please step forward. >> Mr. Chairman, uh, prior to the start of the meeting, can the record reflect that commission? For one second, you have to ask for permission to be recognized. Okay. I was proud to recognize that Vice Jilly is not here. I think everybody
looking at you know that Deli is not here. >> She's attending. >> I got you. I got you, bro. >> Okay. >> You're being disrespectful and out of order. Just hold up for one second. >> Okay.
Hearing no public comment, we will now proceed to email comments. Before we proceed, Vice Chair Lisa Dilly is attending by phone as we all can see. Vice Chair Lisa Dilly is not here. Nick custodial, her
deputy, is in her stands. Secretary Bluestein, do we have any email public comments? >> Thank you, Chairman. All comments that were emailed by 9:45 a.m. were shared with the commissioners and deputies by 10:00 a.m. and have been provided to each commissioner at the beginning of
the meeting and are available at the public comment table. We received one comment for this week's meeting from Danny Pavlich related to the proposed polling place relocation for Ward 21, Division 23. I have reviewed the comment and asked that it be moved into the
record. >> I have also reviewed the comment. Please move them into the record. >> I've also reviewed the comment and asked that it be moved to the record. >> Thank you, Secretary Bluestein.
We will now proceed to old business. First, we have a report from our directors of elections operation and administration, Mr. Joseph Lynch and Mr. Mark Johnson. Joe, we'll start with you. >> Morning, commissioners. >> Morning. Our public meeting update for
April 8th, 2026. At the election warehouse, the voting machine service unit is working on finishing blue crest test and preparing for logic and accuracy testing and the final test. The e polebook unit has been updating the network and box network and ensuring it
works on all poll books. The election materials unit has been working to ensure that the supplies needed for our pole workers are ordered, organized, and ready for packing. We currently have 26 machine demos scheduled. Eight are for
our involved at 17 trainings. For our voter registration report for the election cycle to date, we have processed 97,694 voter registration applications. 12,50 were paper and 85,644
are electronic. All applications are up to date and are being reviewed. We are assisting with processing return mailin ballot applications. We also mailed out 14,90 14,90 voter ID cards. As of yesterday,
the county board of elections has approved 70,439 vote by mail applications, which is 1,631 added from last week's total. Of those, 40,848 are paper applications and 29,591
are electronic applications. This includes civilian, overseas, military, and federal voters. We currently have a total of 103 electronic applications waiting to be processed. On April 3rd, we sent out our first
initial mailing of UACAVA ballots. We sent out 250 B 256 ballots to all civilian, overseas, military, and federal voters who requested a ballot. Voters will need to complete and return their application to the county board of
elections office by 5:00 p. p.m. on May 12th to vote by mail for the primary election. The board workers unit is moving through the spring training with 1,894 attending. So far, the election board spring training seminar schedule is
posted on our website, vote.fill.gov. Weekly reminders will go out to those who have not yet attended. The unit has 4563 pole workers confirmed to work at the polling location. So far, 756
confirmation messages have been sent to to pole workers. Also 510 applications have been submitted for submitted for out involved and 17 program satellite election officers are currently assisting the public office
public offices are open Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm and that's all I have. Commissioners, >> thank you. Joe >> Secretary Bluestein, do you have any comments or questions for Joe? >> Thank you, Chairman. I do not. Vice Chair Deli, do you have any questions
for Joe? >> Thank you. I do not. Thank you. >> Thank you, Joe. We'll proceed to Mark. >> Good morning, commissioners and deputies. >> Good morning. >> Um, this week we focus on finalizing election academy voter registration sessions along with continuing for this
is from a communication and engagement and language access standpoint, continued updates to SEO training material and graphics. We also launched paid social media advertising for the 2026 primary alongside voter reminders and outgoing organic contact. The pole
worker guide and payroll handouts for inclusion in the white boxes have been finalized for print. We also completed the tablecloth designs and coordinating feedback from all of your offices. Um outreach material signage has been prepared including weatherproof signage
for city hall and election day placard was submitted to PPA. We continue coordination with the mail ballot vendor and communication consultant and complete a transition of ballot questions. The final election academy sessions are this week after which material will be repurposed for ongoing
voter education. The final two spring election academy sessions are taking place this week. One was canceled yesterday due to uh technical issues at the DSG but u been changed for today and moved till Thursday. Um
once these sessions are completed, the slide contents will be repurposed to social media sliders and voter education material. Um from a human resources standpoint, the workforce planning and new hire budget checks are ongoing with 12 temporary employees starting this
week. As of April 3rd, uh 2026, the office has 176 total employees, including 30 exempt employees and 146 civil service employees. The bulk of staff includes 54 clerk ones, 25 clerk twos, 28 clerk threes, seven trade
helpers, eight voting machine mechanics. Um, and there are currently as of today on your sheets just one and a typo with primary with uh general but it's actually primary election nine temporary employees um remaining for that are on
that have been onboarded as of yesterday. So information technology it met with the state CI um SIZA regarding policies associated with how our poll books are being used during the election. It also continues to work with all units as we prepare for upcoming
primary elections to support readiness across the operation. Um budget remains engaged in ongoing election preparations efforts and continuing supported planning associated with upcoming primary elections. I think we're doing pretty good financially. making sure that all our vendors are actually um
sending in all of their invoices ahead of time, at least quotes, so that we can get them in the process early and finance is appreciated. Um security coordination remains ongoing as we continue preparing for the primary election. The next scheduled election security meeting is scheduled for April
16th. And that's about it. >> Okay, Secretary Blueste, do you have any questions for Mark? Thank you, chairman. I do not. >> Vice Chair Dylan, did you have any uh questions?
>> Thank you. I do not. >> Well, thank you. I'd like to definitely commend uh the election academy. Um Miss Dynamite uh everybody put their hard work together. Thank you and um I'm looking forward to being there tomorrow. Really had a great time.
Okay, we will now proceed to new business. We will begin to consider our first agenda item, polling place changes. We hear from our polling place investigation supervisor, Charlie Strowman. >> Good morning, commissioners.
>> Morning, Charlie. >> I have 29 proposal changes and the first two are in the fifth ward, the seventh division and the 29th division moving out of William Way Community Center to the Church of St. Luke and Epiphany and
that's due to a refusal. >> Having heard the recommendation of the professional staff, I move that we accept the polling place change for ward five, division 7 and 29. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Second.
>> Secretary Bluestein, please call a role. >> Vice Chair Daly, >> I. >> I vote I. Chairman Samir, >> I. Please proceed. The next proposal is in the 11th ward, the third division moving out of Heritage Park Rec Center to the apartments at Alagany Avenue. And
that is due to a refusal. >> Having heard the recommendation of the professional staff, I move that we accept the polling place change for Ward 11, Division 3. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Secretary Bluestein, please call a role. >> Vice Chair Daly,
>> I. >> I vote I. Chairman Samir, >> I. Please proceed. Next proposals in the 21st ward, the 23rd division moving out of the Mifflin School at 3624 Conrad Street to the New Bethl AM Church of Germantown, 3015 West Schoolhouse
Lane. And that is moving that division into the division. >> Having heard the recommendation of the professional staff, I move that we accept the polling place change for WA 21, division 23. Is there a second? >> Second. Secretary Bluestein, please call
a rule. >> Vice Chair Dy >> I. >> I vote I. Chairman Seir >> I. Please proceed. >> Next one is the 22nd Ward 15 division moving out of Clive House to the Pleasant Rec Center and that is due to
the property being vandalized. >> Having heard the recommendation of the professional staff, I move that we accept the polling place change for WAR 22, Division 15. Is there a second? >> Second. Secretary Blueststein, please call the
role. >> Vice Chair Dilly, >> I >> I vote I. Chairman Samir, >> I >> Please proceed, John. Next change will be in the 40th ward, the 37th division moving out of the residence at 7537
Dickens Place to Sabati Rec Center and that is due to a refusal. >> Having heard the recommendation of the professional staff, I move that we accept the polling place change for ward 40, division 37. Is there a second? >> Second.
>> Secretary Blstein, please call the role. >> Vice Chair Daly, >> I. >> I vote I. Chairman seir >> I. Please proceed. >> Next tour in the 48th ward, the seventh division and the 22nd division. Moving out of St. John Newman, place two at 2627
Mifflin Street to the VE Recreation Center. And that is due to a refusal. >> Having heard the recommendation of the professional staff, I move that we accept the polling place change for Ward 48, division 7 and 22. Is there a second?
>> Second. >> Secretary Bluestein, please call a role. >> Vice Chair Deal. I >> I vote I chairman Seabir. >> I Okay, Charlie, we have uh public comment uh for the next B change. Is that
correct? >> I can handle it. Uh Commissioner, I spoke to him earlier. So, the Emanuel Rec Center was closed down. >> They want to make a public comment. >> Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on.
Thank you for coming up. We really appreciate you. You know, it's always >> great we had visitors and like to thank you. >> Thank you. And just just please say >> commissioners. U sir just before you speak. >> My name is Larry Bolton uh committee
person 54 fourth division and um um thank you for allowing me this opportunity. Commissioners, uh, Commissioner Spear, uh, Secretary, uh, Brownstein, and
Commissioner Dilly. Okay. >> Bluestein. Bluestein. >> Oh, I'm I'm sorry. My bad. Bluestin. >> Okay. My concern is, uh, when I heard you doing the role, right, for you were only talking about pretty much consistently one division. It might be more with the changes. Okay. Now, Darthy
Emanuel, we've been in here for about 10 years and all all elections are important, right? But I this one's kind of important because we're doing some things nationally and you know, locally and um I feel because people are
preachers of habit, right? We've been going there for about 10 years and like I we usually myself and Vicki, she's a she's a committee person and she's in the 50th W uh first division. Uh we kind of like the day before election we kind
of like place the machines in position and uh configurate make sure everybody's at a good outlet put tables up for everybody. And so with this move like I could do Darthy Emanuel easily now
it's a much more structured location and pretty much that's my church too. So I want to make sure that all our voters uh can get down there. It's It's about what? Six blocks away. About six blocks away. And and and in
those divisions that we talked about, six of them, we have a lot of elderly people. Okay. And we want to make sure we got enough signage and enough signage in the neighborhood directing the people where to go and also uh they
receive some type of uh email communications or either hand them out pamphlets to let them know where to go because it's a very highly active ward. Okay. Now, the fact that ENO might be a little bit easier for me, that's my church as well. And like I was looking
at it, everybody's in the job. Okay, I looked at email on the pretty much how you get if you come into the polling, if you come into the church in the lobby, I can configure it to look like Darthy Emanuel with the machines. Okay? Because we know
that voters, they will look at the table and they know where to go. They don't necessarily know what division. They look at the people at the table and they know where to go. So, my concern is that we have a good voter turnout at this new polling place. Okay. And I want I want, you know, I
want because like It's a very important election. I just want a good voter turnout at the new polling place. >> Okay. Go ahead. Okay. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Hold on one second. Uh, Secretary
Bluestein, did you have any uh questions? Any comments you have to say? >> Thank you, Chairman. I appreciate you coming out and giving us all that information. and it's really helpful for, you know, our decision-m process when we're moving polling places. So, I'm really grateful that you took the time to come out. Um, I guess the only
question I have for Charlie is it just looks from my notes that we can't use Emanuel Rec Center because of mold, so we're not able to use the building. >> That's correct. >> So, I guess my question for you and and for you, sir, is just um understanding the challenges of going to a new location and having to set it up. Is
there any concern that you have with Enon Tabernacle or is it okay for now until we can eventually get back? >> I know the the director that would handle that and uh I don't know see like I don't know how they like you
know we can put signage on the wall signage outside >> I think I can address all your issues. So what what I'll do is and I can do this. We can set the polling place up ahead of time being six divisions first time. You're worrying about people being
confused. We can take care of that. Signage is absolutely my job to make sure it's done and it will be done. Uh we hang three signs within the division and packed it. We hang a sign at the old, a sign at the new and then a week before election day, we hang the same signs over again. Every voter in all the
divisions receive a new election card telling me of the poll in place. But as far as the setup, I'll reach out to Enan when I get back to make sure we can get in there early to help set up. And what I always do is I'll always invite the board workers to come help if they want to so they're not surprised the morning
of election day. That can all happen. >> Excuse me. >> Okay. Just just one just one second. Uh Vice Chair Dilly, you wanted to make a comment. >> Charlie, >> yeah, I was just going to reiterate u what Charlie just said, sir. We do
appreciate your the time. We know it's quite a journey certainly from the 50th ward to the warehouse. So, we recognize um how significant this change is for you. Every voter will get a postcard alerting them of the change and we will do our due diligence with regard to
signage and as Charlie said, the staff will be helpful as possible in making sure that the setup at ENO is as seamless as it could be. Uh we recognize it's an inconvenience, especially after voting at Emanuel for so long, but it is out of our control and our professional
staff will do everything they can uh to make sure that this transition is seamless. And thank you again for coming down. >> And Charlie, our understanding this is it's been represented to you that this change will just be for this just the primary.
>> It's it's mold. So, I would assume they're going to have cleaned up for the next election, but I always stay in. >> Okay. >> Okay. Is is it possible? Um, and I don't know how any the commissioners feel. I mean, a lot of this information I really
kind of really didn't come across my desk. I would like to we maybe can table this to the next meeting before we uh to take a a vote on that. >> Are you unhappy with the location? But the
are not necessarily signal. >> Yes, ma'am. >> You want to come up and say your name? Thank you for coming up, too. We appreciate you coming on. I'm the election judge for the 50th fourth division and I c came today first
of all let me say this is one to come and see as long as I've been an election judge which is good seeing you again because I saw you when you gave me a certificate for over 40 years in this in this thing and >> so so you coming back you serving again >> yeah thank you appreciate you appreciate
you >> but um I think it was the concern of some of the election judges is how to place ballots on the wall. Will we be able to place ballots on the wall at Enoch because I know I've never seen anything on their walls in that family
life center. >> Well, what I would like to do, I would like to personally uh take a take a trip there. Let me take a look at let's see exactly what's going on. If y'all want to connect with us while we go out there, we could we could talk and just take do a walk through and just see, you know, exactly. >> Okay. And that's becoming an issue in
several places. Churches tell me they don't understand. So they're putting up. >> Okay. Yeah, that was my concern. As the election judge and and I know we'll be able to get in there the day before and
we can help whoever's there. Um but Okay. So ballots outside on the wall. I don't know whether they like stuff on the wall outside of the church. >> So we'll just look a little bit closer into this and we'll just we'll just table this. >> Thank you very much. We'll we'll come back up >> and it's first time all this time and
first time coming to one of these meetings and it's really informative. >> Thank you. Thank you. We appreciate >> Mr. Chairman. May I say one thing? >> Yes. >> All right. Thank you. Um I just want to clarify for the record. When you say ballots on the wall, you mean the pink sheets, correct? The sample. So I just
want to clarify that for the record for anyone who's watching the meeting that it's the the sample ballot posters that are the pink sheets, not actual ballots. >> Thank you. >> I know. Oh god, >> I appreciate it. Thank you. >> And thank you for coming again. We really appreciate that. We'll definitely
uh we'll figure this out. >> Chairman, should I announce the 50th anyway, even though we're we're going to table when we announce it now? >> Uh no, we take off. Yeah, we'll hold off on that. We'll go to the next war division. >> That's fine. Next one is the 52nd ward
the 13th division move out of Fair View Arms Apartments to the Settlement Music West on Winfield Avenue. And that is back to the original location. >> Having heard the recommendation of the professional staff, I move that we accept the polling place change for W
52nd, Division 13. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Secretary Bluestein, please call a role. >> Vice Chair Dealy, I >> I vote I. Chairman Sabir, >> uh, please proceed. >> Next five will be in the 55th word. 25th
division, 26th division, 27th division, 28th division, and 29th division. All moving out of the Voke Rec Center to the Distant Rec Center, and that is due to a rebuild project. Having heard the recommendation of the professional staff, I move that we
accept the polling place change for ward 55, division 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Secretary Bluestein, please call a role. >> Vice Chair Daly >> I. >> I vote I. Chairman Sabir,
>> I please proceed. Next two, we're in the 58th ward, the fifth division, and the 21st division moving out of Calvary Chapel at 13,500 Filmont Avenue to the Summerton Methodist Church at 13073 Bustleton Avenue. And that is due to refusal.
>> Having heard the recommendation of the professional staff, I move that we accept the polling place change for Ward 58, division 5 and 21. Is there a second? >> Second. Secretary Bluestein, please call the role. >> Vice Chair Daly,
>> I >> I vote I. Chairman Seir, >> I please proceed. >> Next one is in the 59th W 21st Division moving out of the Lingal Box School at 6340 Wayne Avenue to the Wesley Enhanced Living and that is due to voter convenience.
>> Having heard the recommendation of the professional staff, I move that we accept the polling place change for W 59, Division 21. Is there a second? Second. >> Secretary Bluestein, please call the role. >> Vice Chair Dilly >> I.
>> I vote I. Chairman Sabir >> I. >> Please proceed. >> Next six are in next six are in the 65th ward and this can get confusing. So the first two will be 6515 and 6522 moving out of Holmesburg Youth Club to
the new foundations charter school and that is due to the building being sold. Having heard the recommendation of the professional staff, I move that we accept the polling place change for ward 65 division 15 and 22. Is there a
second? >> Second. >> Secretary Bluestein, please call the role. >> Vice Chair Daly >> I. >> I vote I. Chairman Seir, >> uh, please proceed. >> Next two are again in the 65th W 16th division and the 18th division. moving
out of Holmesburg Rec Center to New Foundations Charter School again to the building being sold. >> Having heard the recommendation of the professional staff, I move that we accept the polling place change for Ward
65, division 16. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Secretary Bluestein, please call the RO. >> Vice Chair Dy >> I. >> I vote I. Chairman Seir >> I. Please proceed. Last two are in the 65th ward again, 19th division and the
21st division. Moving out of Holsburg Youth Club to the Holmesburg Rec Center. Same thing. The building got sold. >> Having heard the recommendation of the professional staff, I move that we accept the polling place change for W
65, division 19 and 21. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Secretary Bluestein, please call a role. >> Vice Chair Dailyaly. >> I I vote I chairman Sabir >> I. >> Thank you Charlie. >> You're welcome.
>> I appreciate you. >> That was our last item on our agenda. Before we adjourn, Vice Chair Daly, do you have any other business to be raised at this meeting? >> I have none. Thank you. >> Secretary Bluestein, do you have any
other business to be raised at this meeting? >> I have none. Thank you. >> I motion that we adjourn today's meeting. Is there a second? >> Second. Secretary Bluestein, please call the rule. >> Vice Chair Daily >> I. >> I vote I. Chairman Sabir.
>> I thank you. This meeting is a journ.