On Nov. 8, the city of Philadelphia will head to the polls for Election Day. In the heavily Democratic town, many of the races were decided in the primary. But there are still a few races that are not set in stone.
In the City Council District races, Democrat Bob Henon and Republican Sandra Stewart are battling for Democrat Joan Krajewski’s longheld 6th District seat. In the 10th, Democrat Bill Rubin is trying to unseat incumbent Republican Brian O’Neill.
Some of races that are either no contest or close to it include the mayoral, the 1st District (Democrat Mark Squilla is running unopposed), the 2nd (Democratic state Rep. Kenyatta Johnson is expected to win), the 3rd (incumbent Jannie Blackwell is expected to win) and the 8th (Democrat Cindy Bass is expected to win).
Democratic incumbents in District seats 4, 5, 7 and 9 are unopposed.
Though low turnout might not impact many of these, there are a few races where votes will matter: at-large council seats, city commissioners and judiciary.
For the at-large seats, the real contest will be who wins the two non-majority seats. In Philadelphia City Council, the top seven votegetters fill the at-large seats, with two held for non-majority members. Citizens can vote for five candidates, from any party.
Thus, the first five seats will go to the top five candidates who won the Democratic primary in May. Assuming that Republicans will likely vote for their full slate of five candidates, it will be independents and Democrats who mix candidates who will decide this race, likely by slim margins.
The other race to watch is for city commissioners, who oversee city elections. For this, there are three seats, and no party may hold more than two seats. In the primary, Democrat Stephanie Singer beat longtime commissioner Marge Tartaglione. The incumbents are Anthony Clark (D) and Joseph Duda (R). Both Singer and Republican candidate Al Schmidt are framing themselves as reformers, challenging the establishment.
For our interviews this election, PGN revisited the questionnaires we sent out in spring to mayoral, council and city commissioner candidates, and reached out to those who didn’t respond then. We received a few more responses and summarized the candidates’ answers. Interestingly, most of the Republican at-large council candidates responded to our inquiries.
Mayor Michael Nutter (D)
Mayor Nutter is seeking a second term after four years in which he says he made significant strides for LGBT equality.
Nutter supported and recently signed a measure that revamped the city’s Fair Practices Ordinance, which facilitated the process for designating same-sex life partners in the city registry and heightened penalties for those found to be discriminating.
He supported the LGBT-friendly Senior Housing Project and helped allocate funds for the initiative.
Nutter has opposed the Boy Scouts’ rent-free agreement on account of the organization’s antigay policy and said the current pending settlement would be the best way to sever the city’s relationship with the organization.
He supports the removal of SEPTA gender markers.
During his time as a City Councilmember, Nutter wrote the legislation that created the city’s domestic-partner law.
Nutter said he has been “responsive to and connected to the concerns of the LGBT community” in his first term and would continue that relationship moving forward.
Nutter was endorsed by Liberty City Democratic Club.
2nd District Kenyatta Johnson (D)
State Rep. Kenyatta Johnson supports efforts to require city contractors to provide domestic-partner benefits and to make SEPTA’s fare system gender-neutral.
Johnson, who supports marriage equality, said he would work against the transfer of the Boy Scouts building to the organization because of its antigay policy and would support efforts to institute anti-LGBT bullying efforts in city schools.
He would support funding housing opportunities for those with HIV/AIDS and would press for LGBT sensitivity training for all city workers and police, as well as domestic-violence workers.
Johnson was endorsed by Liberty City Democratic Club.
8th District Cindy Bass (D)
Political policy advisor Cindy Bass is a former housing counselor who said she would work to find funding for housing for people with HIV/AIDS.
Bass called the proposed Boy Scouts settlement “subsidized discrimination” and said she would lobby for the building to be sold at fair-market value.
She also pledged to work for the elimination of SEPTA’s gender markers.
A marriage-equality supporter, Bass said she would also work at the state level to press for legislation to mandate LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying policies at all schools.
Bass was endorsed by Liberty City Democratic Club.
Brian Rudnick (G)
Green Party candidate and librarian Brian Rudnick said he would bring his party’s commitment to LGBT rights to City Council.
Rudnick said he would seek an LGBT advocate for his administration and would “lobby, advocate and legislate” for the elimination of SEPTA’s gender markers.
Rudnick supports the city’s efforts to evict the Boy Scouts based on the organization’s antigay policy and is also in favor of the proposed measure to require certain city contractors to offer domestic-partner benefits.
Rudnick said bullying can best be addressed through adequately funding schools, which he said could be furthered by his plan to collect $500 million in unpaid taxes, which he said could also support funding for libraries, parks and recreation centers.
He supports city funding for housing opportunities for those with HIV/AIDS.
10th District Bill Rubin (D)
Pension consultant Bill Rubin is looking to unseat the only Republican on Council who holds a district seat.
Rubin said he supports the city pursuing a fair-market sale of the Boy Scouts building and would support the removal of gender markers from SEPTA transpasses.
He would support low-interest collateralized loans for housing opportunities for residents with special needs, including those with HIV/AIDS.
Rubin employs members of the LGBT community and said he would search for the most qualified candidates to staff his office if elected.
He would support legislative efforts to address bullying based on all characteristics.
At-Large Republicans Joe McColgan
Finance executive Joe McColgan supports civil unions and said the Boy Scouts building should be sold at fair-market value “and not one penny less.”
McColgan opposes SEPTA’s gender markers.
He supports a private company’s right to offer domestic-partner benefits, but said the city should not mandate that all contractors offer such benefits as it could have a negative impact on the city’s finances.
Antibullying efforts need the support of communities and neighborhoods, McColgan said, and he would support the creation of regional groups to examine the issue in city schools.
David Oh Attorney David Oh supports civil unions and backs the city’s enforcement of its nondiscrimination law in terms of the Boy Scouts conflict.
Oh does not support the effort to mandate certain city contractors offer domestic-partner benefits, but said he would be in favor of legislation to provide advantages to businesses with certain benefits policies, including domestic-partner plans.
He said he would advocate for adequate funding for HIV/AIDS issues and would support funding housing opportunities for people with the disease.
Oh supports increased education on LGBT-specific bullying and said administrators, teachers and other school staff need to be held accountable for enforcing antibullying policies.
Al Taubenberger Republican ward leader and former mayoral candidate Taubenberger is in favor of civil unions.
Taubenberger opposes SEPTA’s gender markers and would work to find funding to support a new fare system.
He opposes the proposed settlement between the city and the Boy Scouts. Taubenberger does not support legislation to mandate city contractors offer domestic-partner benefits and said such policies should be the result of collective-bargaining efforts.
The school district needs to create a comprehensive campaign on diversity and bullying, Taubenberger said.
The candidate pledged to work toward partnerships between public and private agencies to support social issues, and said he would support city funding for housing opportunities for those with HIV/AIDS if the budget allowed.
Michael Untermeyer Attorney Michael Untermeyer is a marriage-equality supporter with 18 years of government experience in Pennsylvania and New York.
Untermeyer supports the city’s efforts to evict the Boy Scouts and is in favor of the current proposed settlement, as he said the city cannot afford to continue to pay the legal fees to fight the case.
He opposes SEPTA’s gender markers and said he would introduce legislation to support their removal.
Untermeyer said he would support the implementation of “strict rules with meaningful and substantial penalties” to contend with bullying in city schools.
He would support the passage of nondiscrimination laws with significant financial penalties for violators.
Untermeyer said he would also support city funding for housing opportunities for those with HIV/AIDS.
City Commissioner Al Schmidt (R) A former senior analyst with the U.S. Government Accountability Office, Al Schmidt said he would make accountability a major player in the City Commissioners’ Office, which he said has long operated under “autonomy and anonymity.”
Schmidt said he would make the office’s budget transparent, and work to make election results, nomination petitions and papers available to the public online, as well as an online polling-place locator.
He would press for enhanced training on voter intimidation for Election Board workers and legislation to better regulate electioneering.
Schmidt said voter turnout can be furthered through direct involvement by city commissioners, who should forge partnerships with nonprofits and host voter registration and education initiatives in different communities, including the LGBT community, across the city.
“We need to assure the public that the City Commissioners are dedicated to honest government and fair elections — and that every vote will be counted,” he said.
Schmidt said two of his campaign staff are openly LGBT and he is committed to hiring a diverse staff if elected.
Stephanie Singer (D) Math professor and trained computer scientist Stephanie Singer promised to bring new technology and transparency to city elections.
Singer said she would undertake a comprehensive audit and review of the Commissioners’ office practices and make the findings public.
She pledged to put all of the office’s records online, from budget to election results.
Singer said she would spearhead educational programs about the importance of voting and partner with civic agencies to promote voter participation.
She also vowed to “keep politics out of the business of running elections and registering voters.”
“As City Commissioner, I will modernize the office, bring transparency and work to increase voter participation,” she added. “I have been at the forefront of the fight for transparency in Philadelphia and have a proven record of leadership when it comes to election integrity.”
Singer was endorsed by the Liberty City Democratic Club.