Mail-in voting is the best way to go, election officials say.
Philadelphia will have nearly 80% fewer polling places in the upcoming election due to the strains placed on the city’s election machine by the coronavirus.
The City Commissioners plan to approve a list of 188 polling locations for the upcoming June 2 primary, down from more than 830 in last November’s election.
Election officials said the changes were necessary to deal with a few pandemic-induced issues. There’s a massive shortage of poll workers, who tend to skew older. And congregate care settings like nursing homes, once common voting spots in Philly, had to be stricken from the rolls.
In assigning the new locations, city officials said they tried to concentrate them in neighborhoods where fewer mail-in ballot applications have been submitted.
They also restricted options to more spacious locations that can allow for social distancing among voters and poll workers. It’s uncharted territory, but they’re hoping for success.
