Residents in the Powelton/Mantua/Belmont neighborhoods had a chance last week to try the City’s new voting machines during a neighborhood advisory committee election (see photo). This and next week, residents in Cedar Park, Cobbs Creek, Spruce Hill and adjacent areas are invited to new voting machine demonstration events.

On Wednesday, Oct. 9, State Sen. Anthony H. Williams and the 60th Ward Executive Committee will hold a new voting system demo event at Global Leadership Academy at 52nd and Pine. This is a non-partisan event and is handicap accessible. The event will take place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the school auditorium. 

Blackwell Regional Library (52nd and Sansom) is hosting a voting machine demonstration event on Tuesday, Oct. 15, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Residents are invited to test out the new touchscreen machines and practice voting before the next election.

Another voting machine demo event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 4-6 p.m. at Calvary Center for Culture and Community (48th and Baltimore).

The new voting system in Philadelphia will be used for the first time in the November 5 general election. About 3,800 new ExpressVote XL machines will replace old machines after nearly 20 years. The new machine features a large touchscreen on which voters can tap their choices, and also produces a paper slip after a ballot has been cast.