Philadelphia

Philadelphia officials are ramping up security ahead of Election Day in the midterm elections. The District Attorney's Office is activating its Election Task Force, deploying 50 assistant district attorneys to respond to voting issues and operating a hotline for reported problems. The Department of Justice also plans to send federal election monitors to the city, a practice officials noted has occurred in previous elections.

Voters expressed mixed reactions, with some welcoming the added oversight and others voting early out of caution. Under Pennsylvania law, voters in line by 8 p.m. cannot be turned away. The task force will stay active until all votes are counted.

Broward County's Supervisor of Elections, Joe Scott, is urging voters to hand-deliver mail-in ballots after complaints of slow postal delivery, with some ballots taking nearly two weeks to arrive or failing to arrive at all; the U.S. Postal Service says it is investigating. Neighboring Miami-Dade County reported no similar delays. In Philadelphia, officials highlighted security at the city's Election Warehouse and urged roughly 40,000 voters still holding mail ballots to return them in person, noting postmarks do not count. In Ohio, heavy early voting turnout in Franklin County has strained absentee mail delivery, with some overseas ballots stalled in transit as the Election Day deadline nears.

The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division is sending roughly 1,000 federal monitors nationwide for Election Day, including to Pennsylvania counties where state law bars them from entering polling places. DOJ has said ICE and FBI personnel won't serve as monitors, though staff from agencies like the DEA, ATF and Federal Bureau of Prisons may participate without firearms or enforcement authority. Chicago has coordinated security with police, the FBI and emergency officials amid concerns over immigration enforcement near polling sites, while a coalition of civil rights groups is deploying lawyers and poll monitors. California is separately sending attorneys and observers to battleground districts, and DOJ continues legal challenges over noncitizen voter rolls.

Philadelphia has appointed longtime Health Department employee Adrian Jordan as the city's first-ever Rat Abatement Manager, officials announced Wednesday. Jordan will coordinate efforts across city departments to prioritize and address rat complaints, starting with door-to-door surveys in lower Northeast neighborhoods including Oxford Circle and Castor Gardens. The city plans to launch a public dashboard tracking resident contacts, complaints and serviced properties. The move follows a City Council resolution earlier this month urging coordinated action on rat infestations, though officials say there has been no documented rise in confirmed complaints despite recent public attention. Mayor Cherelle Parker called it part of a broader "One Philly" collaborative approach to city services.

Pennsylvania voters go to the polls on Nov. 3, 2026, in a general election that will help decide control of Congress and the state's next governor. Voter registration closed Oct. 19, and mail-in ballot requests are due by Oct. 27; polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

The marquee race pits Democratic incumbent Gov. Josh Shapiro against Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, with Libertarian Ken Krawchuk also on the ballot. All Pennsylvania House seats and half the state Senate are up for election. Closely watched U.S. House contests include the 7th District, where Democrat Bob Brooks challenges Republican incumbent Ryan Mackenzie, and the 1st District, where Republican Brian Fitzpatrick faces Democrat Bob Harvie in perennially competitive Bucks County.

Federal prosecutors have indicted Eric Lewis, 35, in the Oct. 10 shooting that killed Philadelphia police Sgt. Shane Seiber and critically wounded Officer Hector Rodriguez. The federal charges add to nearly 80 state counts, including murder, against Lewis, a convicted felon accused of stealing Rodriguez's firearm during the attack. U.S. Attorney David Metcalf said federal agencies moved quickly to support Philadelphia police after the shooting.

Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel publicly criticized District Attorney Larry Krasner for releasing a video addressing Lewis's 2019 murder acquittal, in which Krasner partly faulted the police investigation. Bethel called the timing "unacceptable," saying attention should remain on the victims' families. Krasner said his statement aimed to correct misinformation from a police official; the Fraternal Order of Police called Krasner's video "disgraceful."

Election officials in Camden County, New Jersey, and Philadelphia are expanding outreach ahead of the midterm elections, with two weeks remaining until Election Day. Camden County Clerk Pamela Lampitt is running a series of election services events, offering remote ballot printing and mail-in ballot assistance at stops including Cold Springs Elementary, Camden County College's Blackwood Campus, and the Camden County Library's Voorhees Branch. In Philadelphia, City Commissioners Chairman Omar Sabir highlighted 11 satellite election offices where voters can request or reprint ballots and vote on the spot. Officials emphasized ballot security and accuracy, while voters said they want assurance their votes will be properly counted.