Philadelphia voters urged to check registration status as deadline approaches

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- With just over two weeks until Election Day, the presidential candidates continue to crisscross the battleground states, including Pennsylvania.

There was a last-minute push in the Keystone State on Monday as it was the last day to register to vote.

"We're so excited to be here at CCP hosting a party at the polls," said Beth Lynk, executive director of When We All Vote, a non-partisan group that knew how important it was to be on the campus of Community College of Philadelphia.

"Today is the last day to register in Pennsylvania," said Lynk.

"It really is important whether you're older or younger. Everybody's vote counts," said Sean Kan, Jr. of Collingdale, Pa. as he attended the event.

Jael Moble, a freshman at Community College of Philadelphia, agreed.

"Everybody in Philadelphia needs to get out and vote and take it as no joke," she said, "because it's not a joke. It's serious!"

Outside college campuses, several events were held throughout the city to raise awareness of the importance of voting.

"It's very important that we all get out to vote. No matter who you vote for, it's important to vote," said Sherri Irvis-Hill, a volunteer at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church.

At the Philadelphia church, hundreds gathered for a meal and to hear about the POWER Interfaith Movement, which focuses on the importance of voting.

"We want people to think about what's really important to them about the election. What's your self-interest? And then begin to think about the persons in your family and circle who are uncommitted," said Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, a pastor at Mother Bethel AME Church and director of Black Faith Votes of Power Interfaith.

Voter registration events had a high turnout, as Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein says thousands of city residents came in on Monday to register to vote.

"In addition to that, we've had thousands of people apply online to register as well," said Bluestein.

He added that out of the city's 1.6 million eligible voters, about a million are registered.

"We're hoping turnout will be similar if not higher, but it's really going to come down to Philadelphians coming out on Election Day," Bluestein said.

While many registered to vote, there's a concern that voter turnout could be low.

RELATED | To cast a Pennsylvania ballot, voters must be registered by Oct. 21

"If the election was held today, we'll have 100,000 fewer voters than we had in 2020," said Philadelphia City Commissioners Chairman Omar Sabir.

Sabir's office has been fielding a steady stream of calls from voters. Many of them had questions about their mail-in ballots.

When speaking with Action News on Monday afternoon, Sabir said that as of last check, there were issues with nearly 4,000 ballots in the city. That includes ballots that the post office couldn't deliver to residents because of address issues and ballots in which a voter's ID couldn't be verified.

It also includes about 1,300 ballots that may not be counted because voters made a mistake.

"Not having signed the return envelope, putting no date or an incorrect date," Sabir said, giving examples of things that could have gone wrong.

For some voters, the mistake was not putting the ballot in the yellow secrecy envelope. Philadelphia does not contact voters whose ballots had issues. Instead, they list the names of those voters online.

Lauren Cristela said surrounding counties will typically reach out to voters whose ballots have issues. She said Allegheny County will mail ballots with issues back to voters.

"We encourage everyone to go to that website vote.phila.gov to see if their names, their neighbors, their friends, happen to be on that list," said Cristella, president and CEO of Committee of Seventy, a nonprofit, non-partisan group that educates and advocates for voters.

Cristella said residents of surrounding counties can also check on the status of their ballot online.

"You should go to www.vote.pa.gov, and there's a little tracker right in that system," said Cristella.

While a voter can check the status of their ballot online, Cristella said any corrections have to be made in person at an elections office.

Philadelphia has ten new satellite election offices open daily for residents.

Additional Resources:

The list of Philadelphia voters whose ballots have issues can be found here: vote.phila.gov

Assistance with tracking a ballot can be found here: www.pa.gov

Pennsylvania Voting Information and Resources: www.pa.gov

Register to vote: www.pa.gov