Michael Swayze's Community Resources

Category: Politics

  • 2019 Philadelphia Democratic Primary Candidates

    The election process works when voters are given information so as to make an informed decision. For this reason a 2019 Philadelphia Democratic Primary Candidates list has been published. The first step is knowing who are the candidates.

    The list represents only declared candidates, those who have “thrown their hat into the ring”. The list covers only Democrats because Philadelphia is a Democratic town. Besides, I’m a Democratic Committee Person in the 22nd Ward. Why advertise the names of Republicans? Let the GOP make up their own list.

    A new election cycle has started. Although the Primary Election is not until Tuesday, May 21, 2019, the process begins on February 19 when nominating petitions begin circulating. Candidates have a deadline of March 12 to submit their petitions. Then we will we know who are the official candidates.

    Voters deserve time to study the candidates. They should not wait until Election Day to be handed a sample ballot by a campaign worker outside a polling location. Ward committees should know who all the candidates are so they can make their candidate picks. Endorsements should not be dictated by party bosses.

    The source material for the list of candidates is derived from a number of sources. It includes: press releases from candidates, newspaper articles, social media announcements, even emails to/from newly declared candidates. The listing of local judicial candidates represents the hard work of Micah Mahjoubian and his excellent PhillyJudges.com website.

    The list of candidates include the following offices: Mayor, City Commissioner, Register of Wills, Sheriff, Council-at-Large, District Council, Judge of Court of Common Pleas, Judge of Municipal Court, Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Superior Court and Judge of the Commonwealth Court.

    Please contact Michael R. Swayze with any additions or corrections to the 2019 Philadelphia Democratic Primary Candidates list.

  • Participating In Democracy

    Last month New Jersey Legislature leaders tried to pass a partisan gerrymandering bill SCR152/ACR205. Fortunately, a host of public interest groups, organizations and concerned citizens were able to thwart the effort to destabilize fair elections. At a hearing in December, more than 100 progressive individuals testified against the bill. The only supporters were the authors of the bill. The bill was shelved, a win for democracy. In a December 17 press release the League of Women Voters wrote, “They tried to pass these changes quickly and quietly when they thought nobody was paying attention, but we were there to shine a light, to mobilize the opposition, and to ensure voters were educated and their voices were heard. Our work isn’t finished. We now have the opportunity to work collaboratively with legislators and our partners in this fight to advance redistricting reforms that put power in the hands of voters and not politicians.”

    This incident in New Jersey should not be treated as an isolated incident. Rather, it should be a reminder that democracy only works when citizens participate. Both Democrats and Republicans cheat the system for their own end. It reminds me of an online lobbying effort I participated in that succeeded in having all New Jersey legislative bills posted on the Internet. During the process one legislator was able to nearly kill the bill. A last-minute amendment on the floor of the State Senate saved the bill. It took a two-year effort to get the reform bill enacted into law. What was learned was to 1) watch a bill every minute because you don’t know what horse-trading will take place and 2) only an overwhelming group of citizen activists can prevail when confronting entrenched power. (Thanks for passage of the Internet bill S1068/A2372 goes to Paul Axel-Lute, a law librarian at Rutgers-Newark, who found a legislator to introduce the bill, to Jim Warren of California who was my mentor in this new area of online lobbying, to the New Jersey Library Association for their political education activities and to Senator Nia Gill of Montclair for rescuing the bill on the floor of the Senate.

    If you still need to make a resolution for the New Year you should decide to make your voice heard or join a campaign, but do something to get involved. Perhaps register new voters. Call your elected officials, regularly.

    Defending our institutions in these times of political anarchy displayed on Pennsylvania Avenue demands that we stand up. We must be engaged and active in our local communities. Collectively there is power when we work together.

  • Updated Congressional Delegation List – 116th Congress

    Many have made it a practice of contacting their representatives in DC, a habit started in January, 2017. To prepare for and to welcome the 116th Congress, an updated list of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania delegations is available online.

    It will be important to let our elected representatives hear our voices.