2026 Good Citizen Calendar

Your guide to civic action in Philadelphia, starting in January

By Lauren McCutcheon
Your City Defined

PA’s 3rd District

By Lauren McCutcheon
The Citizen Recommends

Suffs, the Perfect Musical for This Moment

The show about the complex fight for equity — and for democracy — is now on stage. Here’s why you should see it before it leaves Philly this week.

By Laura Swartz

Adios, 2025 …

… happy to have you in the rear view. Here, the things we cared about in the year that was — and what to expect in 2026.

By Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

How to Vote in Philadelphia

Everything you need to know about voting in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania — including how to fix a flawed mail-in / absentee ballot

By The Philadelphia Citizen Staff

New Voters For America’s Future

A Conestoga High student launched New Voters to register her peers in 2017. Now her nonprofit is challenging young people to claim ownership over America’s next 250 years.

By Christina Griffith
Guest Commentary

Remove Philly’s Voting Language Barriers

A Muslim-American advocate urges Philadelphia to steal an idea from Chicago and L.A.: Make it easier for non-English speaking citizens to vote

By Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu, PhD.

Saving Democracy by Canvassing … All the Time

The deep canvassers of Changing the Conversation Together have been able to turn out the vote before big elections. Could doing their work year-round boost civic engagement and voter turnout in the long term?

By Courtney DuChene
Guest Commentary

Philadelphia, America’s Democracy Laboratory — Again

The PA Speaker of the House of Representatives on why Hillary Clinton, Josh Shapiro and PA lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle just started a voting access revolution, in Philly

By Joanna McClinton
Guest Commentary

What PA Dems can Learn from Zohran Mamdani

It’s not the progressive stances of the New York City mayoral primary winner. It’s his practical solutions for low- and middle-income communities that appeal to voters

By Oliver Bateman