Sometimes the best way to share information that people will clearly understand, is to use an example. So today in this Civics 101 column, I want to share information about an organization, actually a coalition of organizations, that are doing their “civic duty” to help get eligible voters ready to vote across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Enter Joe Certaine, a longtime civil rights and voting rights activist as well as being a former member of the historic Buffalo Soldiers and a retired member of the United States Army. Along with that history, Joe Certaine was Managing Director during the Edward G. Rendell administration. He was also the first Black Regional Director of the Governor’s Office under Governor Rendell. He was a Deputy Man. Dir. and a Special Assistant to Mayor W. Wilson Goode Sr. and Deputy to the Chairman of the Philadelphia Democratic Party under Mayor William Green and Chmn. David Glancey.
Now in his retirement years, if Joe Certaine wanted to, he could just ignore all the needs of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. He could close his eyes to the lack of information about political candidates, the rules of engagement as far as voting, enough accessible and publicized voter registration efforts, etc.
Rather than pretend he doesn’t know the political action and activism needed to motivate and encourage people to participate in the political process, Joe Certaine uses his organization, the O.V. Catto Voter Initiative, to help spur on political engagement. There’s a lot of positive things I’ve heard people say about Joe Certaine over the years, including the fact that he’s a great organizer and galvanizer of people. He knows how to get people together to meet, brainstorm, and try and come up with solutions on a myriad of issues. Right now, most critical to Certaine is getting people to vote, and not just vote, but be educated voters.
To that end, every year, twice a year, because we always have a primary and a general election every year, in every state across the nation, Joe Certaine does his part in Pennsylvania to make sure the right things happen before an election day. He doesn’t pick and choose and say, “Oh this is a Presidential election year, so let’s work hard to get voters to the polls.” He doesn’t say, “Oh this is just a year when people have to vote for City Controller and District Attorney, so let’s sit this years’ election out.” Joe Certaine is about educating, and motivating, and even cajoling would-be voters to get to the polls for each and every election. Being the highly intelligent man that Joe Certaine is, he understands that each and every election is important.
To prepare for the November General Election of 2022, Joe Certaine’s organization, the O.V. Catto Voter Initiative, is at it again, doing its Civic Duty on voting.
From here on out in my column I will refer to Joe Certaine as Jemadari because that’s what he’s asked of me.
Jemadari. said, “We are, once again, in the process of mobilizing to conduct Non-partisan Voter Education workshops all over the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We need help from all concerned citizens who have a passion for voter education and information to volunteer with us to get the job done. Our goal is to schedule and conduct workshops and seminars in neighborhoods where voters can learn Election procedures and Voting Rights, so that they will feel empowered and confident when it is time to vote. Voters will learn about Mail in Ballots, Voting in Person, Voting Rights, and about Voter Protection Programs. The November 2022 General Election will be one of the most important elections in the history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We invite you to join the Pennsylvania Coalition in Defense of Democracy. This coalition is a statewide effort.”
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