Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor Jen Coatsworth released the following statement in recognition of Election Day, encouraging members of the legal community to vote, and thanking those who are serving as volunteers either before or after Election Day:
"As we prepare for another Election Day, I want to thank each and every one of you who has made a plan to vote or volunteer, or is planning to serve in some way tomorrow or in the weeks to come.
Voting is our most vital civic enterprise and while many are saying this is one of the most consequential elections of our times, the truth is that every election is consequential – and every vote matters. We may not agree with every candidate, or with every aspect of their platforms, but voting is a beginning rather than a means to an end: Start by casting your ballot for the candidate that most aligns with your views, and then continue to advocate for the policies and initiatives that matter to you.
We were proud this election cycle to engage our members in several opportunities to serve the community via the election process. During the Bench-Bar conference, we held a comprehensive plenary CLE on preserving the right to vote in deeply divided times and dedicated one of our conference breaks to creating “thank you” cards for poll workers. The Association partnered with the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Committee of Seventy and Troutman Pepper's Pepper Center for Public Service in an initiative to recruit poll workers for all 67 Pennsylvania counties. We also held two well-attended CLE programs focused on training our members to become poll workers, in addition to a third session focused on the Electoral Count Reform Act and featuring former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett.
In the days and weeks to come, we hope you will join us in thanking each and every person working to ensure the integrity of this election, and supporting their efforts by upholding and defending the rule of law no matter the outcome."
Still looking to get involved with the election or to learn more about what roles attorneys can play? Check out a list of election-related resources from the American Bar Association.
