1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,040 My name is Chrissy Houlahan and I represent our community in the 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:06,480 US House of Representatives down in Washington, DC. I'm a 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,200 freshman member in Congress, which means that it's my first 4 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,560 term and I'm about ready to finish that uh coming in the 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,920 January time frame, I wanna reiterate that our town hall 6 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,920 today is a non-partisan event. Your vote is your voice, so it 7 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,400 doesn't matter if you're a Republican Democrat, 8 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,760 independent or undecided the purpose of this town hall today 9 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:29,580 is to educate and to inform us all there are more ways. Than 10 00:00:29,580 --> 00:00:33,180 one to vote this year, so I'll be answering a lot of questions 11 00:00:33,180 --> 00:00:36,700 that are related to voting this year from two very accomplished 12 00:00:36,700 --> 00:00:40,220 uh students from our community's colleges, Colin and 13 00:00:40,220 --> 00:00:43,260 I will be joining us to ask these questions and there are 14 00:00:43,260 --> 00:00:46,540 also resources on our website that you should access if you 15 00:00:46,540 --> 00:00:49,740 have any further questions. Those resources are available 16 00:00:49,740 --> 00:00:57,580 at our website, which is hula HOUL AHAN dot house.gov, and as 17 00:00:57,580 --> 00:01:00,620 I mentioned, Colin and I will be asking questions that were 18 00:01:00,620 --> 00:01:03,820 submitted to them and we will hopefully be able to answer 19 00:01:03,820 --> 00:01:07,900 some of your questions. And so I'll turn it over first to II. 20 00:01:07,900 --> 00:01:11,660 Don't know who's first, which one of you is first. I'm first 21 00:01:11,660 --> 00:01:14,780 excellent. Thank you Congresswoman for having me my 22 00:01:14,780 --> 00:01:17,740 first question is I've never voted before. Can I still 23 00:01:17,740 --> 00:01:22,620 register to vote great question and you can, but you don't have 24 00:01:22,620 --> 00:01:25,660 a lot more time. uh the last day to vote to register is 25 00:01:25,660 --> 00:01:28,620 October the nineteenth so you need to make sure that you do 26 00:01:28,620 --> 00:01:32,700 it as soon. as now I would honestly uh ask you to do that 27 00:01:32,700 --> 00:01:36,760 now the place that you can go and do. Is also a website and 28 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:43,800 it's www.pa voter Services.PA.gov and I'll give 29 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:50,280 that to you all again. It's www.pa like Pennsylvania voter 30 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:55,080 services.PA.gov again. The date to finish registering or to get 31 00:01:55,080 --> 00:02:00,120 registered is October 19th, and it's very easy any other 32 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:04,680 questions. uh so one question that I have so I know I'm 33 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,740 registered to vote but how do I check where I'm? Supposed to 34 00:02:07,740 --> 00:02:12,060 vote on Election Day also a terrific question and uh 35 00:02:12,060 --> 00:02:14,780 because of the pandemic there are some changes in terms of 36 00:02:14,780 --> 00:02:18,300 where a person goes to vote and so don't don't expect that you 37 00:02:18,300 --> 00:02:21,180 are necessarily going to this very same place, but it's most 38 00:02:21,180 --> 00:02:24,300 likely that you are so you can check where you're going to be 39 00:02:24,300 --> 00:02:29,100 voting. also at the very same website again, it's PA voter 40 00:02:29,100 --> 00:02:33,500 services.PA.gov and you'll be able to type in your 41 00:02:33,500 --> 00:02:35,980 information and find out the exact place that you'll go for 42 00:02:35,980 --> 00:02:43,060 voting. Any other questions my next question, so I'm on campus 43 00:02:43,060 --> 00:02:46,020 at Lincoln University. Can I get my mail and ballot sent to 44 00:02:46,020 --> 00:02:49,700 an address that is not the same as where I'm registered to vote 45 00:02:49,700 --> 00:02:52,340 and Isaiah. That's a great question. I have three kids 46 00:02:52,340 --> 00:02:54,980 myself who are now in their in their mid 20s, but when they 47 00:02:54,980 --> 00:02:57,540 were in college, they of course have different addresses than 48 00:02:57,540 --> 00:03:01,220 where they were within their home. and so you absolutely can 49 00:03:01,220 --> 00:03:03,540 get your ballots sent to a different address. That's not 50 00:03:03,540 --> 00:03:06,340 the same as where you are registered to vote and you do 51 00:03:06,340 --> 00:03:10,180 that on the Pennsylvania state. Ballot request application and 52 00:03:10,180 --> 00:03:12,580 there will be a separate field there where it will say your 53 00:03:12,580 --> 00:03:16,020 current address and then your mailing address and so your 54 00:03:16,020 --> 00:03:19,220 mailing address is where your ballot will be sent. So if you 55 00:03:19,220 --> 00:03:21,860 wanna make sure that that gets sent to a different address and 56 00:03:21,860 --> 00:03:24,980 your current address, make sure you type that into the mailing 57 00:03:24,980 --> 00:03:30,420 address fields um going off of more about mail and voting if I 58 00:03:30,420 --> 00:03:34,180 am if I choose a vote by mail, when should I send in my 59 00:03:34,180 --> 00:03:39,780 ballot? Sure uh really importantly your mail in ballot 60 00:03:39,780 --> 00:03:44,340 at this point in time has to be postmarked by 8 PM on Election 61 00:03:44,340 --> 00:03:48,740 Day Again. Election Day. Uh is November 3rd So it needs to be 62 00:03:48,740 --> 00:03:53,060 postmarked by 8 PM on that day and it needs to be received by 63 00:03:53,060 --> 00:03:57,060 your county Election Office by 5 PM on that Friday, November 64 00:03:57,060 --> 00:04:00,500 the sixth in order to be counted so again it needs to be 65 00:04:00,500 --> 00:04:04,820 postmarked by November by November 3rd at 8 PM to be 66 00:04:04,820 --> 00:04:10,000 received by No. November 6 at 5 PM, so please uh don't don't 67 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,240 hesitate. make sure that you get this done now. It's a lot 68 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,680 easier just to get this uh in in the mail now or to go ahead 69 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:19,680 and and register to vote now rather than to wait. I have a 70 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,000 mail-in ballot, but I don't want to mail it back because 71 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,640 I'm concerned there isn't enough time What else can I do 72 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,760 and when should I do it so there are lots of different 73 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:31,200 options that you have with that that uh um questions a really 74 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,840 good question. If you don't wanna mail your ballot back, 75 00:04:33,840 --> 00:04:36,780 there are couple things you can do. One is that you can deliver 76 00:04:36,780 --> 00:04:40,220 it to your county election office and we will make sure 77 00:04:40,220 --> 00:04:43,500 that we post that information on the on the feed here where 78 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:47,260 your county election office is another is you can go to a drop 79 00:04:47,260 --> 00:04:50,460 box which is sort of like a mailbox, But it's at a 80 00:04:50,460 --> 00:04:53,500 designated location. Chester County, as an example, has more 81 00:04:53,500 --> 00:04:57,420 than ten drop boxes all over the county where you can go and 82 00:04:57,420 --> 00:05:02,060 drop your ballot. Importantly, you can only drop your ballot 83 00:05:02,060 --> 00:05:06,360 yours and only your ballot you cannot bring. For friends or 84 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,120 family members and you need to do that by 8 PM on Election day 85 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:14,120 as well. Another option is that you can go ahead and bring your 86 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:18,200 mail and ballot to your polling location and mail from there. I 87 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,760 mean and vote from there. importantly, when you get that 88 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:23,880 mail and ballot bring the entire thing, including the 89 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,240 outside envelope that it came in to your polling location to 90 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:30,280 forfeit it there. So you will sign over that. you have 91 00:05:30,280 --> 00:05:33,160 relinquished your original mail and ballot and you will be 92 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:37,140 getting an uh uh. Uh in person ballot at that point in time, 93 00:05:37,140 --> 00:05:39,620 if for some reason you don't have all of the parts of your 94 00:05:39,620 --> 00:05:42,660 mailing ballot available to you. At that point. in time, 95 00:05:42,660 --> 00:05:45,860 you can still vote you can ask for what's called a provisional 96 00:05:45,860 --> 00:05:48,580 ballot and that will be provided to you as well. So 97 00:05:48,580 --> 00:05:51,860 there are many ways to uh if you don't feel comfortable at 98 00:05:51,860 --> 00:05:54,260 that time, mailing in your ballot to make sure your vote 99 00:05:54,260 --> 00:05:59,640 is counted. Um if I'm filling out my ballot at home, what 100 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:03,080 didn't matter what color ink I choose to use so this is a 101 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:06,360 really good question and it does actually matter you have 102 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:11,240 to use either black or blue ink. So again, it's black or 103 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:13,800 blue ink. It's not like the standardized test that we're 104 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,320 all used to you have to make sure you're using only black or 105 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:21,640 blue ink to fill in your ballot. great question coin. So 106 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:24,360 I have a mail-in ballot, but I think I might want to vote in 107 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:27,940 person. Can I do that? And we just talked a little bit about 108 00:06:27,940 --> 00:06:30,260 that and to reiterate because there are quite a few people 109 00:06:30,260 --> 00:06:33,380 who have asked me this question you bring the entire ballot 110 00:06:33,380 --> 00:06:36,820 that you've got your entire mail-in ballot to your polling 111 00:06:36,820 --> 00:06:40,420 location. you relinquish you uh you forfeit that ballot and 112 00:06:40,420 --> 00:06:44,020 you're given an in-person ballot to vote with in person 113 00:06:44,020 --> 00:06:48,020 so that is definitely an option. um the next question. I 114 00:06:48,020 --> 00:06:50,740 have we kind of touched on earlier, but so I live with 115 00:06:50,740 --> 00:06:53,300 three of my friends in an apartment am I allowed to take 116 00:06:53,300 --> 00:06:56,320 all of their completed ballots to voter services. Drop them in 117 00:06:56,320 --> 00:07:00,960 a Dropbox. Yeah, and this, it really is genuinely important 118 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:05,840 that we preserve the sanctity and the um uh the importance of 119 00:07:05,840 --> 00:07:09,120 voting one person one vote. so even though it seems like a big 120 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,000 hassle for you and your friends to all have to do this 121 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,400 individually, it's very important that you do it 122 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:17,600 individually uh so please make sure you let people know that 123 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:22,600 they have to do it themselves. My class schedule is really 124 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:27,080 busy what time do polls open and what time do they close? 125 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:31,800 Yes and we are here in Pennsylvania have um uh 1 day 126 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:36,840 to vote 7 AM to 8 PM. Remember you can still also request a No 127 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:40,600 excuses mail-in ballot at any point in time uh right now as 128 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:44,120 well. so that is obviously an option as well. but if you 129 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:48,040 can't make it uh during 7 AM to 8 PM, please do make sure that 130 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,580 you're requesting a mail-in ballot. There are also two. In 131 00:07:51,580 --> 00:07:55,260 Chester County to satellite offices where you can go in 132 00:07:55,260 --> 00:07:59,740 person and you can request a mail-in ballot in person and 133 00:07:59,740 --> 00:08:02,700 fill that out while you're there and return it to them. 134 00:08:02,700 --> 00:08:05,500 While you're there so effectively, it's it's early 135 00:08:05,500 --> 00:08:08,060 voting. So if for some reason your class schedule or your 136 00:08:08,060 --> 00:08:11,260 work schedule doesn't work for you on Election day. There's 137 00:08:11,260 --> 00:08:14,540 still is an opportunity to find a different day uh and go in 138 00:08:14,540 --> 00:08:19,780 person or to get a mail-in ballot as well. So the voting 139 00:08:19,780 --> 00:08:22,420 lines can get pretty long sometimes and if I'm in line 140 00:08:22,420 --> 00:08:26,180 but haven't voted yet what do I do? Can they close the doors on 141 00:08:26,180 --> 00:08:29,380 me? but cuz I really want my vote to count in this election? 142 00:08:29,380 --> 00:08:31,780 Yeah. and that's really an important question. In fact, 143 00:08:31,780 --> 00:08:34,420 one of my kids. My youngest daughter was out in Texas, 144 00:08:34,420 --> 00:08:37,220 which is where she lives at the last election and she was 145 00:08:37,220 --> 00:08:41,940 online at 8 o'clock when the polls close and she was able 146 00:08:41,940 --> 00:08:45,540 and should stay in line. If you are online when the polls 147 00:08:45,540 --> 00:08:48,800 close, you are able to continue. To vote and you 148 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:52,240 should insist on it because your vote should count uh it's 149 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,200 really important that we run fair and honest elections and 150 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:57,520 please don't let anybody tell you that you have to leave if 151 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:01,960 you happen to be online at that time. I'm really nervous about 152 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,280 voting this election. What should I do if I show up and 153 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:08,040 there's an issue sure and you know it's really important that 154 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,760 we all feel like we have access to the ballot. It's something 155 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:13,080 that you know. I'm a veteran and I served in the military. 156 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:16,600 My dad and my grandfather did too and a lot of my family did 157 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,640 a lot of people fought and died for this. a lot of uh women and 158 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,280 people of color. It's been a long time getting the right to 159 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:25,240 vote and so we really ought to make sure that we exercise that 160 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:27,800 right and we should do that unfettered meeting nobody 161 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,740 should be able to stop us from doing that. So it's. Feel as 162 00:09:30,740 --> 00:09:33,220 though, for some reason the election place that you're at 163 00:09:33,220 --> 00:09:36,260 doesn't feel fair and doesn't feel honest. It's really 164 00:09:36,260 --> 00:09:38,900 important for you to take responsibility to help ensure 165 00:09:38,900 --> 00:09:42,180 the integrity of our process. If you're a voter and you have 166 00:09:42,180 --> 00:09:45,700 any issues at the polls or you want somebody to be aware of 167 00:09:45,700 --> 00:09:49,060 something that you suspect might be fraud or irregularity. 168 00:09:49,060 --> 00:09:56,100 There is a place to report that and that is by calling 1877 169 00:09:56,100 --> 00:10:00,400 votes PA So again if you have any concerns about. The 170 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:06,160 sanctity of your voting process 187 votes, PA is the phone 171 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:09,920 number that you can call you can also call your county 172 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:15,200 election office as well. So the last question we have um that 173 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,080 kinda goes off the nervousness about this election. When will 174 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:22,240 we know the full results of the election? That's a really 175 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:25,520 terrific question, Colin and historically, at least in you 176 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,560 know modern times. We've really known the election results 177 00:10:28,560 --> 00:10:31,440 pretty quickly after the polls close across the country, and 178 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:35,200 that has been at least my lifetime experience of things 179 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,920 this year. Be a little bit different and that's because 180 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:40,480 there will be quite a lot of people voting first of all. 181 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:44,160 We're expecting record turnout and second of all there will be 182 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:47,680 a lot of people who are voting by mail in places like 183 00:10:47,680 --> 00:10:51,760 Pennsylvania that haven't historically had a uh vibrant 184 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,400 vote-by-mail system. This is the first year that we've been 185 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,760 voting by mail uh without excuses in Pennsylvania, so our 186 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:00,400 systems are getting used to that uh and we now have 187 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:02,560 counting machines that we didn't use to have and that 188 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:05,740 sort of thing. So I think the best analogy that I was. Shared 189 00:11:05,740 --> 00:11:08,780 uh which I would share with you is that this election evening 190 00:11:08,780 --> 00:11:12,940 this time around might be our halftime show we might have to 191 00:11:12,940 --> 00:11:15,180 understand that it may take some time for us to be able to 192 00:11:15,180 --> 00:11:18,940 process the ballots not just here um but uh also across the 193 00:11:18,940 --> 00:11:22,060 country. I know in Chester County, which is where both of 194 00:11:22,060 --> 00:11:26,140 your universities are uh we plan on processing ballots, 24 195 00:11:26,140 --> 00:11:29,500 hours a day until they're counted all counted and so 196 00:11:29,500 --> 00:11:31,900 people will be working literally around the clock to 197 00:11:31,900 --> 00:11:34,620 make sure we're getting the results as fast as possible but 198 00:11:34,620 --> 00:11:39,720 it. Could be a while, so just remember that it is halftime. 199 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:46,060 Do you all have any more questions for me? That was it 200 00:11:46,060 --> 00:11:49,580 thank you. You're really welcome. I'm really excited to 201 00:11:49,580 --> 00:11:51,740 have the chance to have this conversation with you guys 202 00:11:51,740 --> 00:11:55,260 because it's very important. I know uh we were talking before 203 00:11:55,260 --> 00:11:58,700 we got on this on this call that uh there's always a 204 00:11:58,700 --> 00:12:01,580 concern, particularly among young people. People who 205 00:12:01,580 --> 00:12:04,780 haven't voted a whole lot uh that their vote doesn't count 206 00:12:04,780 --> 00:12:07,500 or their vote doesn't matter and I think that it's really 207 00:12:07,500 --> 00:12:11,340 important that you hear for me and and others that it's 208 00:12:11,340 --> 00:12:14,460 critical that your your vote counts and that you vote 209 00:12:14,460 --> 00:12:18,200 because. Every vote is equal and your voice really matters 210 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:21,720 uh do you educate yourself if uh so that you know which 211 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:25,000 candidates you like uh but do please make sure that you vote. 212 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,960 I can share with you that a couple years ago in the 213 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:32,440 Virginia House, a legislative house uh a vote uh a contest 214 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:36,280 between two people was decided literally by one vote. One vote 215 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:39,160 decided who won that contest in that Virginia Legislature 216 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:42,920 house, and because of that one vote that the way that the 217 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,580 Virginia Legislature was. Uh had the majority who was in the 218 00:12:46,580 --> 00:12:49,460 majority, whether Democrat or Republican was determined by 219 00:12:49,460 --> 00:12:52,660 that, so we really need to always know that every single 220 00:12:52,660 --> 00:12:56,660 vote counts in Pennsylvania and the last presidential election, 221 00:12:56,660 --> 00:13:00,100 less than a percentage point of votes were determined. the 222 00:13:00,100 --> 00:13:03,780 election results, 44000 votes and millions and millions and 223 00:13:03,780 --> 00:13:08,260 millions cast uh determined the election results. so your vote 224 00:13:08,260 --> 00:13:11,700 absolutely counts. Um I'm grateful for you all for this 225 00:13:11,700 --> 00:13:14,480 conversation. thanks for being engaged in our. In our um 226 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:17,680 democracy in this republic, uh really appreciative of your 227 00:13:17,680 --> 00:13:20,800 time and we will make sure to post this up uh and appreciate 228 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:24,320 your time again. So thank you.