The Committee Of Seventy

THE COMMITTEE OF SEVENTY IS A NONPARTISAN CIVIC LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION THAT ADVANCES REPRESENTATIVE, ETHICAL AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT IN PHILADELPHIA AND PENNSYLVANIA THROUGH CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY.

ELECTION PROGRAM SEVENTY'S ELECTION PROGRAM HAS SEVERAL TOOLS AVAILABLE TO HELP VOTERS LEARN ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AS A VOTER AND MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS WHEN THEY VOTE. THE BYOBALLOT TOOL ALLOWS VOTERS TO TYPE IN THEIR ADDRESS AND REVIEW ALL OF THE CANDIDATES ON THEIR BALLOT BEFORE THEY HEAD TO THE POLLS. THEY CAN REVIEW THE OPTIONS, SELECT THEIR CANDIDATES AND PRINT OR SAVE THEM; THEY CAN EVEN SHARE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO VOTE, FIND THEIR POLLING PLACE, OR APPLY TO VOTE BY MAIL. SEVENTY ALSO BROADCASTS FACEBOOK LIVE INTERVIEWS FROM STUDIO C70. THE INTERVIEWS, WITH CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, THOUGHT LEADERS, AND POLITICAL INSIDERS, HELP VOTERS GET MORE INFORMED AND CIVICALLY ENGAGED. ALL OF THIS INFORMATION CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND WEBSITE. THE WEVOTE INITIATIVE PROMOTES A CULTURE OF VOTING IN BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES IN THE REGION. PARTICIPANTS CAN ENCOURAGE ALL EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, AND CONSTITUENTS TO VOTE, EASILY SHARE OUR VOTER RESOURCES, AND OFFER AS MUCH FLEXIBILITY AS POSSIBLE ON ELECTION DAY SO THERE ARE FEWER OBSTACLES FOR VOTING. THE COMMITTEE OF SEVENTY ALSO SUPPORTS WELL-RUN ELECTIONS BY RECRUITING AND EDUCATING POLL WORKERS IN PHILADELPHIA. WITH A WIDELY DISTRIBUTED TOOLKIT OF RESOURCES FOR POLL WORKERS, INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS, AND A GROWING COMMUNITY OF INFORMED, ENGAGED POLL WORKERS, THE COMMITTEE OF SEVENTY SUPPORTS DEMOCRACY'S ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

OTHER MISSION CRITICAL PROGRAMS

DRAW THE LINES: DRAW THE LINES PA (DTL) IS A NONPARTISAN EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE CREATED BY SEVENTY AROUND THE ISSUE OF REDISTRICTING. DTL TAKES THE SAME TYPE OF DATA AND TECHNOLOGY THAT POLITICAL PROFESSIONALS USE TO GERRYMANDER DISTRICTS AND GIVES IT TO PENNSYLVANIA'S STUDENTS AND VOTERS TO DRAW THEIR OWN PROSPECTIVE ELECTION MAPS. MAPPERS USE FREE, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE GIS MAPPING PLATFORMS, AND THE DTL WEBSITE (DRAWTHELINESPA.ORG) CONTAINS A HOST OF RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORT. PENNSYLVANIANS CAN THEN SUBMIT THEIR MAPS TO A COMPETITION EVERY SEMESTER, WHERE THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN A PRIZE FROM A 14,000 STATEWIDE PURSE. THEIR MAPS ARE JUDGED BY A VOLUNTEER STEERING COMMITTEE MADE OF A DIVERSE RANGE OF RESPECTED CIVIC, BUSINESS, AND POLITICAL LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE, REPRESENTING ALL RANGES OF IDEOLOGY. AFTER DRAWING THEIR MAP, PENNSYLVANIANS CAN SHARE IT WITH THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES TO URGE REFORM. ULTIMATELY, DTL IS A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT THAT THE VOTERS OF PA ARE READY, WILLING, AND ABLE TO DO THIS CORE WORK OF DEMOCRACY.

STATE ADVOCACY SEVENTY'S STATE ADVOCACY INCLUDES POLICY AGENDA DEVELOPMENT AND LOBBYING AROUND PRIORITY ISSUES THAT RELATE TO ETHICAL, REPRESENTATIVE, AND/OR EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT IN HARRISBURG. SPECIFIC ISSUE AREAS OF INTEREST FOR STATE GOVERNMENT REFORM INCLUDE REDISTRICTING (STATE LEGISLATIVE AND CONGRESSIONAL), ELECTIONS AND VOTING, ETHICS AND GIFTS, AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE. ADVOCACY EFFORTS INCLUDE EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS (PRESS STATEMENTS, EMAILS, SOCIAL MEDIA), WORKING WITH COALITIONS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, AND DIRECT LOBBYING (MEETING WITH STATE OFFICIALS AND STAFF).