CANDIDATES FOR U.S. SENATE

Republican Pat Toomey

Democrat Joe Sestak

CANDIDATES FOR PA GOVERNOR

Democrat Dan Onorato

Republican Tom Corbett

Election day is November 2, 2010

Are you registered to vote? Learn more at votespa.com.

Archbishop Basil M. Schott

The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference (PCC) is saddened by the news that Metropolitan Basil M. Schott, Archbishop of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, died on Thursday, June 10, 2010.  He will be laid to rest next week.

As the leader of one of the 10 Catholic dioceses that comprise the PCC, Archbishop Schott was a member of the Board of Governors.  After many years of service to Byzantine Rite Catholics and to the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, he will be sorely missed.

More information about Archbishop Schott and the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh is available at www.archeparchy.org.

U.S. SENATOR

Democrat – Joe Sestak

Republican – Pat Toomey

GOVERNOR

Democrat – Dan Onorato

Republican – Tom Corbett

LT. GOVERNOR

Democrat – H. Scott Conklin (results are still too close to call for sure)

Republican – Jim Cawley

Local race results can be found by clicking the county on the map of Pennsylvania on this webpage:

http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/

Primary Election Day is Tuesday, May 18, 2010.

U.S. Senator

Pennsylvania Governor

Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor

What is a primary election?

A primary election is the preliminary step in the process of electing a candidate running for office. Voters cast ballots in the primary to choose their party’s nominees to run in the general election. Pennsylvania is a primary state.

Who can vote in the primary?

Pennsylvania’s primary election is closed, meaning only registered members can vote for their political party’s candidate (for example, registered Republicans do not vote in the Democratic primary; third party voters cannot vote unless a candidate from their own party is on the ballot; voters who are registered as Independents do not vote at all in primaries).

You do not have to join a political party to vote or to be a candidate for public office. Every registered voter may cast a ballot in the general election.

Who is running in Pennsylvania’s primary this year?

Statewide, Pennsylvanians will elect a U.S. Senator, governor, and lieutenant governor. Locally, they will elect Members of Congress, state representatives and half of the state senate.

Where can I learn about the candidates’ positions on important issues?

As part of a broad effort to educate people about candidates and their positions on issues important to Catholic voters, the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference (PCC) sent a questionnaire to candidates for statewide office to give them the opportunity to make their positions known on key specific issues. The PCC publishes the answers they provide for educational purposes only; the PCC does not endorse candidates for political office. Questionnaire responses are posted online at www.pacatholic.org/faith-politics.

Most candidates have an official campaign website that contains information about their views and opinions on many issues. Researching candidates for public office is an important way for voters to inform their conscience before deciding whom to support.

Why vote in the Pennsylvania primary election?

The issues facing Pennsylvania now and in the coming years present serious moral, ethical and social justice questions. As faithful citizens, it is important to ask ourselves, what are we doing about these questions and concerns? How do we fairly share our blessings and confront the challenges we face? What kind of nation or Commonwealth do we want? What kind of world do we want to help shape? Who will lead our government in pursuing these ends?

The primary election is the first step in the electoral process. To steer Pennsylvania in the right direction, we must start by voting in the Primary with an educated and informed conscience.

Where can I get more information about my polling place?

Details about absentee ballot applications, polling place locations and demonstrations of how to use local voting systems are found online at www.votespa.com.

PCC Column May 2010 by A.B. Hill, Communications Director of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference – the public affairs arm of Pennsylvania’s Catholic bishops and the Catholic dioceses of Pennsylvania.

PLEASE NOTE: The most up-to-date election information is posted in the Faith & Politics section of pacatholic.org.

How well is your community doing in the 2010 Census? With the Census Bureau’s interactive ‘Take 10 Map,’ you can track how well your community is participating in the Census by seeing what percentage of households have mailed back their forms. The map is updated every day as questionnaires are returned, and allows you to compare your community’s performance this decade to how well it did in 2000.  View the Take 10 Map online.

You can also see how Pennsylvania is doing.  View Pennsylvania’s daily participation rate online at the PA Census 2010 site; the Data Center has also been creating a weekly county-by-county map of census participation rates (just click on ‘Participation Rates’). You can view the map, download a PDF copy, or download the data for states, counties, municipalities or census tracts. This map will be updated every Wednesday while the Census is ongoing.

This project oriented internship involves research, writing and outreach about public policy issues of concern to the Catholic Church. Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, writing newsletter articles, writing and designing informative bulletin inserts, research or other communications and advocacy activities.

Hours are flexible. A schedule will be developed to accommodate the intern’s class schedule and credit earning needs. The internship is not a paid position, but students will be compensated for travel expenses.

Please send a current resume to abhill@pacatholic.org along with a brief cover letter outlining:

1. Your availability for an internship in the upcoming terms (from when to when)
2. Your short-term (five-year) job goals upon graduation
3. Your goals for doing/learning during this potential internship
4. Your need for academic credit (or not) for the internship

Interviews will include a review of the student’s writing samples, portfolio materials and a discussion of credit requirements.

In addition to the election, in 2010 all Pennsylvanians (not just registered voters) will have a different kind of opportunity to shape the future of public policy in our state – the U.S. Census.

The Census counts every resident in the United States. It is required by the U.S. Constitution to take place every 10 years. The Census shows state population then those counts determine representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Pennsylvania has been considered a key player in several high profile legislative issues recently. An accurate Census means Pennsylvania will have the correct number of Representatives in Congress and they will represent districts that really reflect the character of the people who live there. This is important for making sure our voice is heard.

Furthermore, funding for critical community services and the location of schools, hospitals, senior centers and other facilities all depend on accurate Census data. Each year, up to $400 billion in federal funding is distributed to the states based on formulas derived from Census numbers. These needs cannot be met if Pennsylvania does not receive its fair share.

In March of 2010, census forms will be delivered to every residence in the United States. Residents are asked to answer the questions and then mail the form back in the postage-paid envelope provided. If the form is not mailed back, a census taker will visit the house to ask the questions from the form in person.

Every question provides valuable information for shaping the future. But, it is important to note that any personal data you provide is protected under federal law. Title 13 of the U.S. Code protects the confidentiality of all the information. In addition, other federal laws, including the Confidential Statistical Efficiency Act and the Privacy Act reinforce these protections. It is against the law for the Census to publish names, addresses or phone numbers. Violating this law is a crime with severe penalties.

The 2010 Census form is just 10 questions, such as name, gender, age, date of birth, race, household relationship, if you own or rent your home, and whether you are of Hispanic origin. The Census wants to know who is living in your house on April 1, 2010.

The Census does not ask about the legal status of respondents or their Social Security numbers. The Census does not share the information it collects with other federal agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

More information about the 2010 Census is available at www.2010Census.gov.

PCC Column March 2010 by A.B. Hill, Communications Director of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference – the public affairs arm of Pennsylvania’s Catholic bishops and the Catholic dioceses of Pennsylvania.

en Espanol