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Searching for Common Ground on Election Integrity: A Bipartisan Discussion
April 14| FULL WEBINAR VIDEO
Opportunities for constructive dialogue between elected officials of opposing parties are too rare. In the pursuit of common ground, Back to Business PA hosted our second bipartisan dialogue, this time featuring PA State Representatives Seth Grove (R) and Scott Conklin (D). The two senior politicians explored issues related to election reform, voting access, and the impact on PA businesses and employees.
Early in the conversation, moderators Jabari Jones (West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative) and Jeff Brown (Brown's Super Stores) noted that businesses value innovation and efficiency and want state government to implement improvements to expand eligible Pennsylvanians’ access to the ballot. Rep. Grove responded by agreeing that Pennsylvania needs to “modernize an old, antiquated [election] system that dates back to 1937” and “expand access in numerous fronts from in-person early voting to curbside voting and trying to help disabled individuals vote.” Rep. Conklin concurred and stated “a vote is a vote. It doesn’t matter whether you cast it early.” While the two State Representatives did not agree on every point, it was encouraging to observe a civil and constructive discussion.
You can watch the video in full or read our blog post summarizing the conversation.
PAST EVENTS
PA: The Future of Mail Voting at Stake
Mar 10 | Briefing
PA Election Reform: Why Business Should Care
Feb 2 | Webinar
A Bipartisan Fireside Chat: PA Election Reform & Economic Recovery
Dec 16 | Webinar
Getting Pennsylvania Back to Business
Oct 1 | Webinar
BBPA Business Letter sent to PA General Assembly! Read our Statement (5/4/22)
Ready to vote in Pennsylvania? DOWNLOAD YOUR MAY 2022 PRIMARY GUIDE
BFA's Doug Murray op-ed in the Pennsylvania Capital Star: "Free and open elections are good for voters - and good for business" (4/7/22)
BFA blog post: Fate of Mail Voting in Pennsylvania in State Supreme Court's Hands (3/18/22)
BFA partner & Patagonia store manager Kristine Campbell's op-ed in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Companies need to give their employees time off to vote" (3/14/22)
Our statement regarding the Commonwealth Court's decision on PA Act 77, and why vote by mail is essential to a healthy democracy (2/1/22)
Our statement condemning PA House Bill 2207 and why gerrymandering is bad for business (1/18/22)
Our op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer calling on PA legislators to focus on the economy (11/23/21)
BFA & WPCC statement on PA senate vote (9/17/21)
Business leaders throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania feel responsible for the interests of their employees, customers, communities, and economy. In the wake of the pandemic, many businesses and residents are suffering. PA businesses need relief, many facing possible shutdown due to unpaid bills and back-rent. Thousands of PA families are still unemployed and experiencing financial hardships. Millions in federal aid sit unspent.
Instead of focusing on these critical issues, our legislature is threatening to make it more difficult to vote.
The right to vote is sacred. Our elections must be both secure and inclusive — but we must not sacrifice one for the other. Civic-minded business leaders oppose any effort by the state legislature to make it harder for citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote. It is unfortunate, that since the November election and following two statewide post election audits confirming the accuracy of last fall's count and the results being certified, some legislators continue to call for another costly audit.
It doesn't have to be like this. In 2019, Republicans and Democrats worked together to pass the historic Act 77, the most significant improvement to Pennsylvania's elections in more than 80 years. Those changes served the commonwealth through the 2020 election, allowing our employees and neighbors to vote more safely and securely during the pandemic, whether by absentee ballot or at early voting centers with modern voting machines. Yet today, during a global pandemic and economic crisis, our legislature is threatening to make it more difficult to vote. This is resulting in political instability in Harrisburg and impeding economic recovery.
Please join the Pennsylvania business community in asking the legislature to abandon any initiative making it harder to vote, stop wasting taxpayer monies, and get Back to Business.
The following companies have signed our nonpartisan business letter urging Pennsylvania lawmakers to stop trying to make it harder to vote and focus instead on creating economic opportunities for our future.
About Back to Business PA
Back to Business PA is co-managed by Business for America and the West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative (WPPC), a network of several thousand small businesses that form a single entrepreneurship engine to accelerate growth. WPPC has facilitated $23 billion of investment and development in West Philadelphia and advocates for contracting opportunities with local and minority-owned businesses.
