Primary Day 2025

"Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time..."

Winston Churchill, November 11^th 1947

The above quote, attributed to Churchill, is actually of unknown origin. Churchill himself stated that he was quoting from another source - one he had long forgotten and unsure if he'd known of it's providence in the first place. Regardless, I think upon the quote and language surrounding the institutions of democracy: we embark on forming a more perfect union, not a perfect union. To me it seems that, outside the bounds of fictions relegated to the mind of each individual, perfect is impossible.

Not that we shouldn't continue to try.

I have been serving as a poll worker, specifically a Judge of Election, for twelve years now. After the May 20^th primary, we shall find out if the voters in my district want to keep me around for another four years. I can only hope that I have done right by every single one of them.

As a private citizen, I've already mailed my ballot back. It contained some questions which needed to be answered:

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Special Election Question 1

Shall the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter, Article One, Home Rule Powers – Definitions, be supplemented by adding a new section, “105. Local Governance”, by prohibiting the discrimination on the basis of race, religion, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or expression, disability, place of birth, national origin or association or affiliation with any nation or foreign state in conducting business of the city? YES

Special Election Question 2

Shall the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter be amended and supplemented by adding a new Article 11: RIGHT TO PUBLIC OWNERSHIP OF POTABLE WATER SYSTEMS, WASTEWATER SYSTEM, AND STORM SEWER SYSTEMS, which restricts the lease and/or sale of the City’s water and sewer system to private entities? YES

Special Election Question 3

Shall the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter, Article One, Home Rule Powers – Definitions, be supplemented by adding a new section, “104. Amendments to Charter”, by prohibiting the use of the Home Rule Charter Amendment process to add duties or obligations beyond the lawful scope of the city’s authority. YES