2020 ChangePA Candidates
Incumbents
ChangePA
TIME FOR CHANGE
“ChangePA was the game-changer for my campaign.”
— Rep. Joe Webster
What’s the Best Way to Vote?
1. Vote in Person on Election Day, November 3
Advantages: Your vote will be counted immediately. Any technical problems, whether about your signature, or when your ballot arrives, or whether you have submitted the correct form are almost automatically resolved.
Disadvantages: Increased risk of exposure to someone with Covid. Long lines, potentially. Also, polling locations are subject to change because of shortages in workers. https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/pollingplaceinfo.aspx
2. Vote by Mail or by an Absentee Ballot
Advantages: Voting by mail allows you to get your vote in early and avoid Election Day crowds and the dangers of Covid. Follow the directions carefully: (1) use the same blue or black ink everywhere on the ballot; (2) place the ballot inside the secrecy envelope; (3) seal the secrecy envelope and place it inside the mailing envelope; and (4) sign the mailing envelope on the outside in the designated place. Use the same name and signature you used when registering to vote.
Option 2A. Most counties will have official drop boxes. Election officials will collect from these drop boxes, allowing you to bypass the U.S. Post Office.
Option 2B. Mailing your ballot through the U.S. Post Office is another option, but efforts by the Postmaster General to undermine the work of the U.S. Post Office have made a lot of people wary about whether mailed ballots will arrive in time or at all. Track your mailed ballot here: https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/BallotTracking.aspx. If you have any concerns on Election Day about whether your mail-in ballot was received, go to your polling place to check and, if you’re still concerned, cast a provisional ballot as a backstop.
Disadvantages: Mail-in ballots in most places are not counted until Election Day or after. These ballots also may end up not being counted if the election is disputed or tied up in law suits.
3. Vote Early at One of the Satellite Voting Locations
Advantages: One-stop voting. When you visit the satellite location, you’ll be able to register, request a mail-in ballot, fill out the mail-in ballot at the site in private, seal the mail-in ballot in the secrecy envelope, place the secrecy envelope in the outer envelope and sign your name, and then drop the package off at the site. You’ll also be able to drop off an already completed mail-in or absentee ballot. Satellite locations are likely to be less crowded than the polling places on Election Day, so this option may have lower health risks than Election Day in-person voting.
Disadvantages: Like option 2 above, the satellite-cast mail-in ballot may not be counted until Election Day or after, and there is a risk that the mail-in ballot, even if dropped off at a satellite location, won’t be counted if the election is disputed.
Videos
Who We Are
Time for Change
We are a Political Action Committee dedicated to flipping the Pennsylvania House from Republican to Democrat.
If we can flip just 9 more seats in 2020 and defend the ones we already have, Democrats will be the majority. A new Democratic majority would result in more funding for our schools, support for women’s health, protection of the environment, responsible gun laws, criminal justice reform, and an end to hyper-partisan gerrymandering.
Our fundraising success of $300,000 in 2019 led to the decision to raise our overall goal to $450,000 for the 2020 election. With the incredible generosity of our donors, we have reached that goal, and we have selected 10 candidates to receive $35,000 each. These candidates all have a real chance to take a Republican-controlled district. We have also donated $100,000 to the 5 new Democratic House members we successfully supported in 2018.
We also received a generous matching grant from the PA Alliance, through which we were able to designate an additional $175,000 to Pennsylvania House candidates. In total we have raised over $650,000 to win a Democratic majority in the Pennsylvania House. We are still receiving contributions, and any we receive now will be used to support candidates needing last minute help.
We Make the Difference in Competitive Elections
Using a rigorous candidate selection process, ChangePA is able to contribute where funds will make the biggest difference and at the time the candidates most need help—tipping close races in our favor. We have no paid staff, so every dollar we raise above expenses goes to candidates.
ChangePA works with other political groups with similar objectives, such as PA Blue Victory Fund. We share election information, discuss campaign strategy, and utilize resources (such as volunteer placement efforts) that ChangePA does not maintain. Each group does its own fundraising.
ChangePA focuses on state House races because they receive less public attention and less funding than elections to the U.S. Congress—so ChangePA’s contributions have a big impact.
“ChangePA helped us to level the playing field. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!”
— Rep. Danielle Friel Otten
We Have A Track Record of Success
ChangePA started in January 2017 as a series of brunch discussions among friends. From those modest beginnings, ChangePA raised and distributed more than $210,000 for the 2018 election.
On Election Day, 5 out of 6 Democrats supported by ChangePA won their elections to unseat Pennsylvania House Republicans.
ChangePA ended the 2018 elections with over 450 individual donors who contributed online, by check, and at 14 house parties. Many people, recognizing the high stakes in the election, donated more than they ever had before to political candidates. For the 2020 election cycle, our donors made a similar effort to achieve our fundraising goals and to help win Democratic control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Republican control has meant:
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We are the only state that doesn’t tax fracking!
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We cannot change our inequitable taxing system!
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We underfund public education!
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We cannot pass responsible gun control!
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Women’s health care is under attack!
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We are hostile to the environment!
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Gerrymandering is a way of life!
It’s time for change. Pennsylvania Republicans need to be thrown out of office.
Founders
Hon. Mark Bernstein (Ret.)
Laslo Boyd, Ph.D.
Michael Churchill, Esq.
S. David Fineman, Esq.
Tom Gilhool, Esq.
Barbara Gold, M.D.
Steven Gold, Esq.
Mary Goldman
Anne Hagele
Mary Hurtig
Joyce Norden
Kim Oxholm
Tobey Oxholm, Esq.
Linda Schleifer
Tasha Stonorov
Hon. Flora Wolf (Ret.)
Shelly Yanoff, Esq.
Hon. Mark Bernstein (Ret.)
Laslo Boyd, Ph.D.
Anne Hagele
Joyce Norden
Kim Oxholm
Linda Schleifer
Stephen Seplow
Hon. Flora Wolf (Ret.)
“ChangePA’s support gave me the financial boost I needed—to spend my time at the doors, listening and speaking with people, instead of having to ask for money.”
— Rep. Melissa Shusterman
Want to learn more about what we’re doing at ChangePA? Subscribe to our email updates!
Events & News
ChangePA Raises Over $650,000 for 2020!
Through online contributions, numerous House Parties (many of them virtual, post-COVID), and a highly successful Zoom Convention—ChangePA reached its goal in August to raise $450,000 to support Pennsylvania House candidates on November 3rd.
One of our most successful events—prior to the pandemic—was an evening with U.S. Senators Bob Casey (PA) & Chris Coons (DE). ChangePA raised $100,000 by this event, including a matching gift from PA Blue Victory Fund of $10,000.
Even having reached our $450,000 goal, we continue to receive donations. And with a matching grant from the PA Alliance, ChangePA, has been able to designate a total addition of $175,000 for Pennsylvania House candidates.
Through the collective effort of our donors, we have contributed over $650,000 to help win a Democratic majority in the Pennsylvania House.
Thank you again!!!
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