City Council made a significant move on Thursday by approving legislation that will provide valuable assistance to nursing home residents who may face challenges when trying to vote in person.
The initiative, known as the Platinum Voters program, was introduced by Councilmember Nina Ahmad and City Commissioners Chairman Omar Sabir. This program aims to support seniors in completing mail-in ballot applications, distributing and collecting mail-in ballots to ensure their voices are heard in the upcoming elections.
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As part of the legislation, Councilmember Ahmad’s office will compile a list of state-licensed nursing homes and designate liaisons to work with other councilmembers. The City Commissioners Office will then facilitate the distribution of mail-in ballot applications to these facilities. Once the seniors have received their ballots, the office will schedule secure collection dates and provide receipts to ensure transparency.
“These residents are often overlooked and face obstacles when trying to participate in elections,” stated Ahmad. “By offering mail-in voting options, we are making the democratic process much more accessible for them.”
According to a report from the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, seniors often face challenges such as difficulty in traveling, lack of accessibility at polling locations for those with mobility or visibility impairments, and outdated government IDs – a requirement for new Pennsylvania voters in their precinct.
“This election holds immense importance for our country, and we urge everyone to participate in order to boost voter turnout in Philadelphia,” emphasized Sabir.
This resolution is part of a broader initiative by the Office of the City Commissioners to enhance voter accessibility leading up to the 2024 presidential election. Earlier this week, the second out of 10 satellite election offices opened in Germantown at 5301 Chew Ave. These offices operate year-round and offer services such as voter registration, application for mail-in and absentee ballots, requesting replacement ballots, and ballot submission, including through 24/7 drop-off boxes.
The first satellite office was inaugurated in West Philadelphia in April 2024, and a third one is set to open at 5601 Lancaster Ave. on September 17.