Journal

These are the most recent entries posted on Seth Warren’s Journal.

Primary Day 2023

Posted May 15, 2023 | 1:05 am

Primary Election season is upon us in Pennsylvania! The deadline for returning your mail-in ballot is 8:00PM on May 16^th – that’s when the ballot must be physically received in your local election office to be counted; a postmark is not sufficient. 8:00PM on May 16^th is also the latest you can get into line at your polling place, 7:00AM is the earliest.

My mail-in ballot was received by my Elections office last week and I think I picked some good ones…

Allegheny County Executive

Allegheny County Council At-Large

Allegheny County District Attorney

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Election Day 2022

Posted November 2, 2022 | 1:37 am

We are one week away from Election Day. If you vote by mail, now is the time to get that ballot in a mailbox! Otherwise, in-person voting happens in seven days. If you are in Pennsylvania like I am, the government of the Commonwealth has all you need to know.

As for myself, I returned my mail-in ballot in mid-October. These were some of my selections…

United States Senate

Pennsylvania Governor

Pennsylvania State House District 36

Ballot Question – Allegheny County

Shall Article III, Subsection 6(b)
of Allegheny County’s Home Rule
Charter be repealed in order to allow
Members of County Council the
same freedom of right to seek other
elected office as is accorded to all
other independently elected officials
in Allegheny County, such that
Council Members are permitted to
run for nomination or election to
elected office other than that of
County Council Member without first
having to resign from County
Council?

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Primary Day 2022

Posted May 10, 2022 | 1:27 am

Primary Election season is upon us! At least where I live in Pennsylvania it is. People are receiving their mail-in ballots and hopefully filling them out and mailing them back in time to have them counted. The deadline for that is 8:00PM on May 17^th – that’s when the ballot must be physically received in your local election office to be counted; a postmark is not sufficient.

For those who don’t wish to vote in their pyjamas from the comfort of their homes, one can vote in person on May 17^th from 7:00AM when the polls open until they close at 8:00PM (those standing in line prior to that time will still be allowed to vote no matter how late it gets).

Are you a Pennsylvanian craving more information? There’s a website for that.

Do you want to know some of my personal candidate picks? See below…

United States Senate

Pennsylvania Congressional District 12

Pennsylvania State House District 36

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Election Day 2021

Posted October 28, 2021 | 2:30 am

Election season is upon us! Election Day itself is one week away on November 2^nd, with polls in Pennsylvania open from 7:00AM-8:00PM (find your polling location here), but if you are like me, you may have opted for a mail-in ballot. You have until 5:00PM today to apply for one of those – and it must be received no later than 8:00PM on Election Day proper. So, if you are concerned that the Postal Service is acting sluggish, you might want to drop your ballot off at your county Elections Office in person.

I’ll get to my personal candidate picks in a moment, but before doing so, I wish to mention my personal candidacy. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, poll workers are elected, and I have been serving as a Judge of Election for Ward 32 District 7 of the City of Pittsburgh for eight years at this point. This year I am up for re-election and I am hoping to serve for a third term. So, should you be one of my neighbours, I would greatly appreciate your endorsement and confidence via your vote.

Onwards to the candidates who actually have money to campaign! In addition to the two individuals listed below, Pennsylvania has a slate of judicial candidates up for election this year. Too numerous to list, I simply recommend voting straight-ticket Democratic.

Mayor of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh City Council – District 4

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Primary Day 2021

Posted May 11, 2021 | 2:15 am

Prior to 2020, no-excuse mail-in ballots did not exist in Pennsylvania. As such, I would post this entry on Election Day itself. However, with voting by mail readily available (unless certain misguided groups manage to take it away) and with it being my preferred method of casting my ballot, I’m now going to post these entries one week before Election Day. It’s now Election Season…kind of like Halloween or Christmas, but with a lot less candy.

In Pennsylvania, the polls will be open from 7:00-8:00PM on May 18^th (the close of polls is also when all mail-in ballots are due at the Elections Division). Although Pennsylvania has a closed primary for candidates, this primary election is being held concurrently with a general election open to all voters regardless of party affiliation or lack thereof where they must choose how to answer several ballot questions. More information can be found on those questions at the Pennsylvania State Department and a plain-English explainer for said questions can be found at WESA.

As always, my personal picks, starting with questions and then moving to Democratic candidates…

Ballot Question #1

Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be
amended to change existing law and
increase the power of the General
Assembly to unilaterally terminate or
extend a disaster emergency
declaration—and the powers of
Commonwealth agencies to address the
disaster regardless of its severity
pursuant to that declaration—through
passing a concurrent resolution by
simple majority, thereby removing the
existing check and balance of presenting
a resolution to the Governor for approval
or disapproval?

Ballot Question #2

Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be
amended to change existing law so that:
a disaster emergency declaration will
expire automatically after 21 days,
regardless of the severity of
the emergency, unless the General
Assembly takes action to extend
the disaster emergency; the Governor
may not declare a new
disaster emergency to respond to the
dangers facing the
Commonwealth unless the General
Assembly passes a concurrent
resolution; the General Assembly enacts
new laws for disaster management?

Ballot Question #3

Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be
amended by adding a new section
providing that equality of rights under
the law shall not be denied or abridged
because of an individual’s race or
ethnicity?

YES

Ballot Question – State of Pennsylvania

Do you favor expanding the use of the
indebtedness authorized under the
referendum for loans to volunteer fire
companies, volunteer ambulance
services and volunteer rescue squads
under 35 PA.C.S. Section 7378.1
(related to referendum for additional
indebtedness) to include loans to
municipal fire departments or companies
that provide services through paid
personnel and emergency medical
services companies for the purpose of
establishing and modernizing facilities
to house apparatus equipment,
ambulances and rescue vehicles, and for
purchasing apparatus equipment,
ambulances and rescue vehicles,
protective and communications
equipment and any other accessory
equipment necessary for the proper
performance of the duties of the fire
companies and emergency medical
services companies?

YES

Ballot Question – Allegheny County

Shall the Allegheny County Code,
Chapter 205, Allegheny County Jail, be
amended and supplemented to include a
new Article III, which shall set forth
standards governing conditions of
confinement in the Allegheny County
Jail?

YES

Ballot Question – City of Pittsburgh

Shall the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter
be amended and supplemented by
adding a new Article 10: Powers of the
Pittsburgh Police, containing Section
1001, which shall bar employees of the
Pittsburgh Bureau of Police from
executing warrants at any residence
without knocking and announcing
themselves?

YES

Mayor of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh City Council – District 4

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Journal

Primary Day 2023

Election Day 2022

Primary Day 2022

Election Day 2021

Primary Day 2021