Philadelphia to hold special elections for City Council vacancies caused by resignations

PHILADELPHIA - Special elections will be held to fill vacancies on the Philadelphia City Council after the resignations of several city councilors. 

Council President Darrell L. Clarke issued Wrists for Special Elections Friday to fill vacancies in the Seventh and Ninth District seats on the Philadelphia City Council. 

The special elections will be held on Election Day on November 8th, 2022. 

The Seventh District, formerly overseen by Councilmember Maria D. Quiñones Sánchez, covers Frankford, Kensington, Juniata Park, Hunting Park, Feltonville, Fairhill and other neighborhoods. 

The Ninth District, formerly overseen by Councilmember and Majority Leader Cherelle Parker, includes East Mt. Airy, West Oak Lane, East Oak Lane, Olney, Lawncrest, Lawndale, Burholme, Oxford Circle and parts of Northwest and Northeast Philadelphia. 

Sánchez and Parker recently announced their resignations from the City Council to pursue candidacy for Philadelphia's Mayoral election. 

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U.S. Census data reveals that more than 339.000 residents live in the two districts. 

"We understand our responsibilities under the Home Rule Charter, and today we are taking the appropriate steps under city law to issue writs for special elections to fill these two district Council seats in the General Election on November 8th," Clarke said. "It is vitally important that more than 339,000 residents of the Seventh and Ninth Districts have full, active representation in Council, with access to the specific kinds of constituent services and district-specific legislation that can only be provided by their district Councilmember."

The political parties in Philadelphia will nominate candidates to run in the special elections and those nominees will be on the ballot. Winners will serve the remainder of the unexpired term, according to the City Council. 

In addition to vacancies in the Seventh and Ninth Districts, the council also needs two At Large Members after the resignations of Councilmembers Allan Domb and Derek Green. 

Clarke says all 17 seats in City Council are up for election next year.