As the political campaign heats up, three local election officials visited this month’s meeting of the Burholme Community Town Watch and Civic Association.
The guests were Don Garecht, chief deputy commissioner in the office of City Commissioner Al Schmidt, and Joe Lynch and Rich Vito, of the County Board of Elections.
The men brought an election machine, voter registration forms, applications for absentee and alternative ballots and information on the state’s new voter identification law.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ordered a Commonwealth Court judge to reconsider a challenge to the voter ID law, but officials are moving forward in planning for Election Day, Nov. 6.
“We have to act as though they’re not going to overturn it,” said Lynch, assistant administrator at the election board.
Lynch noted that some people are panicking, but he believes polling place workers will have everything under control.
“It’s not really a big deal,” said Lynch, adding that the law should have been “in place years ago.”
For the first time, Pennsylvania voters must show photo identification to vote. Acceptable forms of ID include a driver’s license, passport or card issued by the military, government employer, college or care facility.
“It has to have an expiration date on it,” Lynch said.
The last day to register to vote is Oct. 9.
In other news from the Sept. 13 meeting:
• A benefit for Catherine “Kate” Pembroke will be held this Friday from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Southampton Room, at 2980 Southampton Road.
Pembroke is the former longtime manager of the Fox Chase branch office of the U.S. Postal Service. She is recovering from a major stroke.
Tickets cost $30. Proceeds will help the Pembroke family convert Kate’s home into handicap-accessible living space.
Monetary gifts can be sent to Kate Pembroke Benefit, c/o Jimmy Pembroke, 2844 Neptune Road, Philadelphia, PA 19154.
Contact Charles Ritter at 215–528–7473 or hbrown@cvsd.org or call James Pembroke at 215–350–7276.
• Seven youngsters from Cub Scout Pack 160 led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The group, for boys in first through fifth grades, meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, at 1013 Cottman Ave. There will be a recruitment night on Sept. 25.
Pack 160 will hold a flapjack fund-raiser breakfast on Saturday, Oct. 6, from 8 to 10 a.m., at Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, at 9141 Roosevelt Blvd. The cost is $7 for adults and $5 for children.
For more information, call cubmaster Matt Williams at 215–783–6405 or go to www.pack-160.com.
Mark Mroz, 2nd Police District community relations officer, cautioned people against walking out of banks with cash in their hands.
“You might as well paint a red dot on you. You’re a target,” he said.
• Burholme Community Town Watch and Civic Association will meet on Thursday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m., at United Methodist Church of the Redeemer. ••
