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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Question 2, Office of the Victim Advocate Amendment (November 2020)

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Philadelphia Question 2
LocalBallotMeasures Final.png
Election date
November 3, 2020
Topic
Local law enforcement
Status
Approveda Approved
Type
Referral
Origin
Lawmakers


Philadelphia Question 2, the Office of the Victim Advocate Amendment, was on the ballot for voters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 3, 2020. Question 2 was approved.

A "yes" vote supported creating an Office of the Victim Advocate.

A "no" vote opposed creating an Office of the Victim Advocate.


Election results

Philadelphia County Question 2

Result Votes Percentage

Approved Yes

560,327 86.60%
No 86,735 13.40%
Results are officially certified.
Source


Overview

Question 2 created an Office of the Victim Advocate.[1] The mayor, with the consent of the city council, would appoint the victim advocate. The Office of the Victim Advocate acted as an advocate for crime victims and co-victims. The ballot measure required the victim advocate to "develop a particular expertise and focus on gun violence." The office's duties were to:[2]

  • facilitate the planning between government and non-government entities that serve or interact with crime victims and co-victims;
  • ensure that crime victims are notified of their rights and that their rights are vindicated;
  • serve as a liaison between crime victims and co-victims and the city government;
  • educate the public on issues facing crime victims and co-victims;
  • investigate complaints regarding the interactions between crime victims and co-victims and government and government-funded agencies;
  • examine issues of general importance to crime victims and co-victims and publish findings and recommendations;
  • formulate and advocate for policy recommendations within city government; and
  • convene an advisory board composed of community representatives, practitioners, experts, and other stakeholders.

Text of measure

Ballot question

The ballot question was as follows:[1]

Shall The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to create the Office of the Victim Advocate to advocate for crime victims and to work with victim-services providers to coordinate, plan, train, educate, and investigate issues relating to crime victims?[3]

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in Pennsylvania

This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the Philadelphia City Council. Mayor James Kenney (D) signed the bill on July 1, 2020, which placed the charter amendment on the ballot.[1]

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Philadelphia City Council, "Bill 200208," accessed July 13, 2020
  2. Philadelphia City Council, "Resolution 200216," accessed July 13, 2020
  3. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.