✉️ Making it count | Morning Newsletter
And the Amy Wax case, explained.
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The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Good morning to you, Philly, and to our Phils, who finally clinched the National League East title — their first in 13 long years.
Pennsylvania voters can request and fill out their mail ballots in person as of this week. Still need to register? Want to know what’s up with the GOP’s Montco lawsuit? Heard about that “naked ballots” court case? How common is non-citizen voting, really? Find the latest on all things mail ballot below.
And we have an explainer on the case of University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax and what preceded the controversial academic’s sanctions. Here’s what to know today.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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It’s six weeks from Tuesday, Nov. 5, which means we’re six weeks from finding out who will be the next U.S. president — right? Not likely. Delays are expected as states verify and count mail ballots, a process that can’t begin until Election Day. Ongoing lawsuits may further push back results.
Here’s what to know about mail ballots and other voting-related news.
✉️ Voter registration: The deadline to register to vote in the 2024 general election is Monday, Oct. 21 by 11:59 p.m. Registration can be completed online, in person, or by mail.
✉️ Mail ballot submission: As of yesterday, Philadelphians can request a mail ballot, complete it, and return it at several in-person election office locations throughout the city, including neighborhood-based satellite offices.
✉️ “Naked ballots” case: Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court will determine whether counties must accept provisional ballots cast at polling places by voters whose mail ballots had been rejected for missing the required secrecy envelopes, among other flaws.
✉️ Meanwhile in Montco: The Republican National Committee and U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick are suing to temporarily stop Montgomery County from distributing and collecting mail ballots. If the lawsuit is successful, it could severely slow down the counting process in Pennsylvania’s third largest county.
✉️ Inflated concerns: Non-citizen voting is illegal and rare, though a glitch in Pennsylvania voter registration did result in some non-citizens voting before 2017. The problem has long been fixed, but the Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, continues to promote the claim that the problem is rampant.
The sanctioning of Penn law professor Amy Wax has been more than two years in the making.
The law professor first caught public criticism in 2017 when she co-authored an Inquirer op-ed arguing that “All cultures are not equal.” A score of complaints about instances of racist and xenophobic speech and behavior by Wax followed from Penn alumni, elected officials (including those pictured above), and other public leaders. In early 2022, the Penn Carey Law school’s former dean initiated the faculty senate process that could lead to sanctions against her. That process concluded this week.
The sanctions do not mean Wax will lose her tenured position. But she will be suspended for one year, starting next fall.
What you should know today
A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot late Sunday night near Martin Luther King High School in East Germantown, police said Monday.
This weekend’s massive, cross-city car meetup was dubbed “Project X” online. One drivers described to The Inquirer the mayhem of the night.
The number of homeless Philadelphians increased for the third consecutive year and exceeded 5,000 people for the first time since 2020, according to the city’s annual point-in-time count.
One in three former NFL players believe they have the neurodegenerative disease known as CTE, according to a new study. The findings come as brain injuries continue to impact the football league’s players, including current Eagles.
Four area schools were honored with the prestigious National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence distinction for either academic performance or for making significant progress closing achievement gaps.
Hundreds of Aramark workers at the three South Philadelphia stadiums began their strike Monday, calling for better wages and benefits. If you’re going to a Phillies game or the Charli XCX concert this week, here’s how to prepare.
After a year of taking viral portraits, Sami Aziz, a.k.a. South Street Sam, is ending his street photography project.
🧠 Trivia time
The Franklin Institute is moving about 600 artifacts into the spotlight with a soon-to-open gallery. Which of these historical treasures is not in the science museum’s collection?
A) An Atari 810 floppy disk drive
B) Part of Ben Franklin’s lightning rod
C) A complete dinosaur skeleton
D) A Baldwin 60000 steam locomotive
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
✈️ Renewing: Our passports digitally, thanks to the U.S. Department of State’s new system.
🚮 Throwing out: Large household items via Philly’s new bulk collection program.
❄️ Winterizing: Our homes (yes, already!) to prevent problems like clogged gutters or frozen pipes.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Philly-area billionaire Michael Rubin’s company, which in the past year has expanded into the sports betting and gaming industry
CAT NAIFS
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to F.L. Hagedorn, who solved Monday’s anagram: Shane Victorino. The Flyin’ Hawaiian was one of several former 2008 World Series team members who took the field with the Savannah Bananas on Saturday.
Photo of the day
🧑🦰 One last red-haired thing: I am truly amazed by the number of Helens who joined Saturday’s second annual Mrs. Roper Romp in Phoenixville.
Have a great Tuesday. I’ll see you back here tomorrow.
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