To the voting booth for Primary Day in the commonwealth
One day after honoring the Class of 2021, Penn President Amy Gutmann performed her civic duty in voting on Pennsylvania’s Primary Day.
(From left to right) Elizabeth Scheyder, Sarem Leghari, Penn President Amy Gutmann, Geneva Williams, and Harrison Feinman in Houston Hall on Pennsylvania’s Primary Day.
Tuesday was Primary Day in Pennsylvania. Following the 2020 presidential election, and the historic weight the city of Philadelphia lent to the outcome, Tuesday’s election continued to uphold the civic spirit of participatory democracy. And just one day after presiding over the University’s 265th Commencement, Penn President Amy Gutmann cast her vote in Houston Hall. Gutmann, along with voters throughout the commonwealth, picked representatives from their parties to put on the ballot for the November general election; Philadelphians voted for judges, Controller, and District Attorney.
Four ballot questions, including one that would limit the governor’s disaster declaration powers and another on a state constitutional amendment regarding equal rights, also compelled voters to exercise their right to participatory democracy. Of the city’s 1.1 million registered voters, the voter turnout results weren’t tallied until after polls closed at 8 p.m. Last year’s election brought a record number of voters to the polls.
(From left) Nick Cavicchio (standing), and Jordan Desjardins (seated) helped Class of 2021 graduate from the College of Arts & Sciences Jackson Maxwell cast his ballot.
President Gutmann, wearing an I VOTED sticker, thanked Marija Westfall, Kelly MacGarrigle, and Carol Quezada Olivo at Houston Hall after casting her ballot.
Not everyone who showed up at Houston Hall was eligible to vote yet, including two-year-old Leo Iuliano, who accompanied his father, Jeff Iuliano, to the polls.
Safety measures were still in place at Houston Hall, as poll workers wore masks, provided hand sanitizer, and maintained social distancing.
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