Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Question 1, Zoning Board of Adjustment Members Amendment (May 2022)

Philadelphia Question 1
Election date May 17, 2022
Topic Local charter amendments and City governance
Status a Approved
Type Referral	Origin Lawmakers

Philadelphia Question 1 was on the ballot as a referral in Philadelphia on May 17, 2022. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported this charter amendment to increase the size of the Zoning Board of Adjustment from five to seven members and require members to have specific qualifications.

A "no" vote opposed this charter amendment, thus keeping the size of the Zoning Board of Adjustment at five members and not requiring members to have specific qualifications.

A simple majority vote was required for the approval of the charter amendment.

Election results

Philadelphia Question 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		161,668	72.10%
No		62,547	27.90%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Question 1 was as follows:

“

Shall the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to revise the composition of the Zoning Board of Adjustment by increasing the number of mayoral appointees from five to seven; by requiring Council confirmation of the mayor’s appointments; and by specifying qualifications that appointees must possess, including a demonstrated sensitivity to community concerns regarding development and the protection of the character of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods?

”

Ballot summary

The ballot summary for this measure was:

“

The City’s Zoning Board of Adjustment hears cases about zoning permit decisions. These cases sometimes include case-by case decisions whether to allow exceptions to zoning rules, known as “variances.” Currently, the Board is made up of five members, who are appointed by the mayor. Members do not need to have any specific qualifications. If you vote “yes” on this ballot question, that means you approve of the following reforms to the City’s Home Rule Charter regarding the makeup of the Board. The Board would increase from five to seven members. City Council would have to agree to members appointed by the mayor. The seven Board members would have to include: an urban planner; an architect; a lawyer with zoning experience; a person with experience in the construction industry; and at least two recognized leaders from community organizations. All Board members would also need to have shown sensitivity to community concerns regarding development and protection of the character of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods.

”

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in Pennsylvania

The Philadelphia City Council voted to place the charter amendment on the ballot.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Pennsylvania

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Pennsylvania.

How to vote in Pennsylvania

Poll times

In Pennsylvania, all polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in Pennsylvania, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States for at least one month before the next election, a resident of the district in which he or she is registering for at least 30 days before the next election, and at least 18 years old by the day of the next election. The deadline for registering to vote is 15 days before the election. Registration can be done online, in person, or by mail. Prospective voters can register in person at the county voter registration office or at a number of state agencies, including Pennsylvania Department of Transportation centers. The Pennsylvania voter registration application is available online and can be mailed to the county voter registration office. On September 19, 2023, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) announced that the state had implemented automatic voter registration.

Automatic registration

Pennsylvania practices automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Pennsylvania implemented an online voter registration system in 2015. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Pennsylvania does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

Prospective voters must be residents of the district in which they are registering for at least 30 days before the next election.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Pennsylvania does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The Pennsylvania Department of State allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.

Voter ID requirements

The federal Help America Vote Act requires that individuals in all 50 states who register to vote by mail and who have not voted previously in a federal election in their state must provide either their driver's license or a paycheck, bank statement, current utility bill, or government document showing their name and address. Individuals voting by mail must include a copy of one of those documents with their absentee/mail-in ballot.

These requirements do not apply if an individual submitted a copy of their identification, their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering to vote. Pennsylvania does not generally require voters to present identification while voting. However, a voter who is voting at a polling place for the first time must present identification.

Voters can present the following forms of identification. This list was current as of October 2025. Click here to ensure you have current information.

“

Approved forms of photo identification include: Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID card ID issued by any Commonwealth agency ID issued by the U.S. Government U.S. passport U.S. Armed Forces ID Student ID Employee ID If you do not have a photo ID, you can use a non-photo identification that includes your name and address. Confirmation issued by the county voter registration office, such as a voter registration card Non-photo ID issued by the Commonwealth Non-photo ID issued by the U.S. Government Firearm permit Current utility bill Current bank statement Current paycheck Government check

”

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2022
• Local charter amendments on the ballot
• City governance on the ballot

Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania 2022 local measures
• Local ballot measures, Pennsylvania
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas

External links

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