If we learned anything from the 2016 presidential election, it’s the importance of getting out to the polls on Election Day.
None of the candidates in the May 16 races are anything like the calamity that got into the White House — far from it, actually, as we are fortunate to have a sea of extremely qualified and, for the most part, very LGBT-friendly folks running for municipal and state offices. However, we saw in November just how much every single vote counts to putting into office people who can — or cannot — advance the causes of the LGBT community.
Next week, Philadelphians have the opportunity to elect the nation’s first transgender male judge. Henry Sias is running for one of 10 spots on the Court of Common Pleas. Sias comes recommended by the Philadelphia Bar Association and with a wealth of experience; his election would be a boon for all Philadelphians who want qualified, fair-minded judges on the bench. In an age where trans rights seem to be under constant attack, it would also send a powerful message of affirmation to trans communities — and to those who oppose trans equality. We strongly endorse Sias for Court of Common Pleas.
In the hotly contested District Attorney race, we are backing Larry Krasner. This was a challenging conversation among our editorial board, as several candidates stood out as strong contenders, but we ultimately determined that Krasner has both a solid record of progressive leadership and a solid vision for taking that work to the next level in the District Attorney’s Office. Krasner has been a strong ally to groups like Black Lives Matter, ACT UP and more, and it’s that commitment to community that we need in our city’s top law-enforcement agent.
For City Controller, we endorsed Alan Butkovitz, who has a proven record of standing by LGBT equality.
For a city that is so heavily weighted Democratic, the April primary is the big event to watch when it comes to municipal elections. Even though this Election Day doesn’t have the hype of November’s, it still will have far-reaching implications for all Philadelphians.
Get out May 16 and make your voice heard.