We Can– and Must – Elect a More Humane PA

The midterm election is important for so many varied reasons, but for all of us at Humane PA, and for all of you who care about the humane treatment of animals, the midterm election is our opportunity to change the political landscape for animals in our state.  It is our opportunity to elect into office a Pennsylvania legislature populated by lawmakers committed to passing anti-cruelty, animal protection laws, laws which will make life measurably better for animals. It is a powerful opportunity and it is up to all of us to seize it.

How do we turn this exciting opportunity into results? Well, we have a lot of ideas to share and it doesn’t have to take a lot of your time to help elect humane legislators into office.

There are the basics: VOTE:  If you are not yet registered, the cut off is October 9th(www.pavoterservices.pa.gov). Get to the polls on November 6, to vote for the Humane PA endorsed candidates in your district. Take a friend – and share the endorsement list! Races for state offices are often very close so your vote can truly make a difference as to whether a humane candidate gets into office – or is defeated.

While voting is the one action all of us must take, there is so much more that we each can do to help make the next legislative session a banner one for animals:

1. Volunteer for the campaign of a Humane PA endorsed candidate.  Campaigns need volunteers to successfully cross the finish line. Phone banking, door knocking, literature distribution, hosting a candidate get-together, distributing lawn signs – all are important tasks to help a candidate prevail on Election Day. If you volunteer, please make sure to let the campaign know that you are doing so because the candidate is endorsed by Humane PA and is committed to supporting animal protection legislation.
2. Share the Humane PA endorsement list far and wide. The animals need all of us to spread the word so that every single Pennsylvania resident who cares about animals gets to the polls on Election Day to vote for the endorsed candidates.
3. Donate to Humane PA so we can support endorsed candidates. By donating to Humane PA, you enable us to not only support the campaigns of endorsed candidates, but to do so as a single and powerful representative voice for voters who care about the treatment of animals. Humane PA is YOUR political action committee and the stronger we are, the stronger the influence of the animal vote; the stronger we are, the stronger the power of the animal vote. Donating to Humane PA also enables us to send representatives to endorsed candidate fundraisers and other political events which increases our visibility and is essential to being considered a meaningful and serious player in Pennsylvania politics.

While the election culminates on November 6, when we get out and vote for endorsed candidates, the foundation for success on Election Day is laid now. We can – and must – do all that we can to elect a more humane PA – the animals, who have no vote, are counting on us.

Elissa B. Katz is the President of Humane PA PAC and a partner in the law firm of Meranze, Katz, & Gaudioso, P.C. in Philadelphia. She is a regular volunteer with the Northeast Animal Rescue, assisting with cat care.