In the aftermath of the 2024 election, many people who were outraged at the idea of Donald Trump getting back into the White House decided that they needed to do something to oppose him. According to the founders of Indivisible, Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin, tens of thousands of people joined a zoom call after the election to see what they can do.
What people did not do, however, was go out to vote in large numbers for the primaries in Pennsylvania on May 20. According to a press statement from the Committee of Seventy, 17 percent of registered voters in Philadelphia showed up to the polls. President and CEO Lauren Cristella said these numbers should not be brushed away.
“We cannot dismiss this as ‘just another low-turnout election’ or chalk it up to the ‘Philly Shrug.’ Turnout this low goes well beyond that kind of reasoning, and that kind of thinking lets a broken system off the hook,” said Cristella. “Low turnout like this is a warning sign. It means too many of our neighbors feel disengaged, disillusioned, or disconnected from the process.”
The low voter turnout was not just a Philly problem. According to the Bucks County Commissioners unofficial results, only 25.8 percent of registered voters came out to the polls. And in Montgomery County, only 21.09 percent of registered voters voted in the primaries.
“We must ask ourselves: How do we make voting more accessible?” Said Cristella about how to address the low turnout. “How do we better inform and engage voters not just during presidential elections, but in every race that shapes our communities?”
“Low turnout like this is a warning sign. It means too many of our neighbors feel disengaged, disillusioned, or disconnected from the process.” – Committee of Seventy President and CEO Lauren Cristella
“Tuesday’s primary should be a wake-up call,” she added. “Every elected official, civic leader, and engaged citizen should come together to confront the hard truth: our institutions are failing to inspire voter participation. It’s time for honest conversations and bold action to reverse the decline in turnout and rebuild trust in our democracy. While each of us can work to inspire our communities to vote, we must also demand structural change from Harrisburg to increase voter access – from true early voting to opening primaries to unaffiliated voters and selecting judges based on merit rather than electing them.”
READ: Pennsylvania Democrats Pass Sweeping Election Overhaul Through the House
Pennsylvania is one of only 14 states that has closed primaries, meaning a registered Democrat or Republican can only vote for candidates who are running for the party they are registered to. However, during the general elections, a voter can vote for whatever candidate they wish, regardless of party. Pennsylvania is also one of only 10 closed ballot states that don’t let independents vote in primaries, further causing voter suppression.
There are a couple of bills that are making their way through the state house that would allow Independents to vote in at least some capacity, but there has not been much vocal support from elected officials.
The Committee of Seventy, a non-partisan, non-profit organization, was created in 1904 to “promote, support and facilitate government ethics and election integrity.” Today, the organization advocates for free and fair elections, supports voters with information to be more informed, and tries to get as many people to vote as possible in every election.
