Find information on the local candidates and more to help you make a plan to vote in the municipal election that will determine who leads our community.
Ahead of the Municipal Election on Tuesday, November 7, Franklin Votes provides voter resources for Franklin County residents such as who will be on the ballot. Residents can access up-to-date information about candidates and connect with more voter resources on the Franklin Votes website: franklinvotes.org.
“Thomas Jefferson famously said that an informed electorate is a prerequisite for democracy,” said Amy Weibley, a Franklin Votes volunteer. “As American citizens, we each have the right to vote for our legislators and be active participants in the democratic process. To help empower people to use their voice and vote, we created Franklin Votes to provide outreach and resources that make election information more accessible.”
FranklinVotes.org is an easy-to-use website including resources to register to vote, check your registration status, apply to vote by mail, find your polling place, and explore election information. It is the only comprehensive resource sharing candidate information for Franklin County, PA. Voters can view submitted candidate statements on the website to help them make informed voting decisions.
What is a Municipal Election?
A municipal election is a type of general election, which is always held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. In a general election, Pennsylvanians vote for federal, state, and local officials. However, in odd-numbered years, like 2023, these November elections are also called municipal elections because there are no federal and no (or limited) state offices on the ballot.
Municipal elections are important because this is when community leaders – located right here in Franklin County – are elected, from school board members to county commissioners. These elected officials make important decisions that impact the quality of our lives every day. Local government is directly responsible for serving our communities through parks and recreation, public works (i.e. sewer and water), emergency services, education, taxes, and more.
Increasing Civic Engagement
Most municipal elections are decided by a few votes. Despite this, local government elections consistently bring a low voter turnout.
“I didn’t always appreciate that my vote during local elections had the potential to drive change around things that impact my day-to-day life the most,” said Kim Crider, Board Member of the Franklin County Coalition for Progress (Franklin Votes is a program of FCCP). “I now make a point of voting at every local election to make sure that my voice is heard, and I encourage everyone to do the same.”
Because turnout is lower for municipal elections, your vote can make even more of a difference. Franklin Votes aims to empower voters to show up at the polls by connecting them with non-partisan resources on the website. Volunteers also participated in a variety of fall community events to help register people to vote and answer other questions about the election and voting process (the deadline to register to vote for this election was October 23).
FranklinVotes.org includes a toolkit for organizations who wish to encourage civic engagement. The toolkit includes nonpartisan resources such as social media graphics and voter information flyers. Businesses and organizations are encouraged to utilize this resource to help spread awareness of voter information.
Vote on November 7
The municipal election is coming up on Tuesday, November 7. Polls are open from 7am-8pm. Find your polling place and other resources to make your plan to vote at franklinvotes.org.
Representatives are only representative of the people that vote. Choose who represents you and who leads our community; vote on November 7!
Franklin Votes is a non-partisan initiative of the Franklin County Coalition for Progress, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Learn more and connect to resources at franklinvotes.org.