Kensington voters trickle out for judges, SNAP cuts, and inspiration from the NYC mayoral election

Kensington residents joined voters across Philadelphia on Tuesday to cast ballots for district attorney, city controller, and several state and local judicial positions — including seats on the state’s Superior and Commonwealth Courts and Philadelphia’s Common Pleas and Municipal Courts. 

District Attorney Larry Krasner was reelected to a third term, defeating challenger Pat Dugan with 77% of the vote to Dugan’s 23%. Voters also retained all three Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices — Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht — for new 10-year terms, preserving the Democratic majority on the state’s highest court. 

Voter turnout in Kensington was low overall – consistent with past election cycles – with an average of 24% of registered voters casting a ballot across the political wards encompassing the Kensington-area, compared with 34 percent citywide. The 31st Ward, which includes parts of East Kensington and Port Richmond, had the highest turnout, with 41% of registered voters casting a ballot on Tuesday. Ward 7, which includes parts of Kensington and North Philadelphia, had the lowest turnout at 13%. 

Poll workers reported a slow day in Kensington, as expected.

Around noon, just 27 voters had checked in at Stetson Middle School. By 5 p.m. at Willard Elementary School, just 22 voters had cast their ballots. 

Late Tuesday morning, resident Norma Colón Maldonado was standing at Stetson’s entrance handing out sample ballots. She had been there since 7 a.m. and witnessed a more consistent stream of people than expected. 

“I’m very surprised so many people have been showing up because they don't usually come out to these November 4th elections,” Colón Maldonado said. 

She believes people are motivated to vote due to the impacts of SNAP cuts to the neighborhood. 

By 1 p.m. at Lewis Elkin Elementary School, more voters came out than poll worker Janira Suarez expected. She emphasized that local contests are just as important as presidential and mayoral elections. 

“Judges and other positions on the ballot are the ones that make the changes we want to see,” she said.

Around 2 p.m. at Somerset Villas, a residential home for seniors that doubles as a polling place, about 20 voters had turned out. 

Lucy, a resident of Somerset Villas who declined to share her last name due to privacy concerns, said she participates in every election so she can learn about each candidate and the promises they make. 

“You get an understanding of what candidates are going to do, and if they’re going to come through on what they talked about,” she said.

Christy Zakaria, 19, was voting at Willard Elementary School around 5 p.m. 

She received a reminder text Tuesday morning from her ex-girlfriend’s mom, who had taken her to vote for the first time when she was 18. Zakaria said the reminder urged her to vote to retain the three Supreme Court justices Donald Trump could not elect judges who would “not prosecute him.”

“I believe that’s corrupt. That’s not what we need right now,” Zakaria said.

By the time she voted, only 22 voters had turned out at Willard, according to Ivelisse Aviles, the judge of elections. Aviles said she expected more people to arrive as they came home from work. 

Bobby Risdorfer, 29, a Democrat, biked to Willard to cast his ballot in support of retaining the Supreme Court justices and reelecting Krasner. 

As a Kensington resident of six years, he thinks Krasner —  a progressive prosecutor — has helped reduce crime in the neighborhood. 

“You can coin all the monikers you want — ‘Let him go Larry’ ... Republicans are good at coming up with catchy phrases to demonize people who aren’t willing to throw away people for decades for petty crime,” Risdorfer said.

A metal fabricator and welder, Risdorfer said he’s energized by the New York City mayoral election. In New York, Democrat Zohran Mamdani, who centered his campaign on affordability issues, defeated independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York, 50% to 41%. 

“He’s talking about all the same stuff that we’re talking about in Philly,” Risdorfer said, adding that he hopes someone like Mamdani runs for mayor of Philadelphia in 2027. 

“I’ll take anyone who’s not trying to capitalize on real estate, someone who is actually for the working party, and someone who will save SEPTA,” he said.