Resolution 080909

..Title The City Council Of Philadelphia Calls Upon The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania To Allow Pennsylvania Voters the Opportunity of No Excuse, in-person early voting at election offices or other satellite locations. ..Body WHEREAS, More than half the states--31, to be exact--offer some sort of early voting; and WHEREAS, Early voting differs from absentee voting in that voters may visit an election official's office or, in some states, other satellite voting locations, and cast a vote in person without offering an excuse for not being able to vote on election day; and WHEREAS, Satellite voting locations vary by state, and may include other county and state offices (besides the election official's office), grocery stores, shopping malls, schools, libraries, and other locations; and WHEREAS, Early voting generally is conducted on the same voting equipment used in the regular election, as opposed to absentee voting, which is conducted on mail-in paper ballots; and WHEREAS, The time period for early voting varies from state to state, but most often it is available during a period of 10-21 days before the election, generally ending on the Friday or Saturday immediately preceding the election; and WHEREAS, For an increasing number of Americans, "election day" is a historical relic. Instead, ballots are cast at the individual's convenience, up to three weeks before the scheduled date of the election. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, The City Council Of Philadelphia Calls Upon The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania To Allow Pennsylvania Voters the Opportunity of No Excuse, in-person early voting at election offices or other satellite locations. ..End