PHILLY: Election Day has moved to June 2, and did you know that anyone in PA can now Vote By Mail? Help us spread the word, download posters for free here!

Streets Dept is very excited to partner with Jen Devor and a few Philadelphia nonprofit organizations today to launch the #VoteByMailPHL poster project to educate Philadelphians on how to exercise their right to vote during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The #VoteByMailPHL poster project will serve as one more tool for getting critical voting information out to Philadelphians before the June 2, 2020 primaries. Created by Jen Devor and curator Conrad Benner (aka me), this multilingual project is working with three of my favorite Philly artists to create the posters: Martha Rich, Marian Bailey, and Manuela Guillén!

“Given the circumstances around COVID-19, voting by mail is the safest way to vote. Without the state automatically sending everyone a mail-in ballot, we are concerned that people will be left out,” project creator Jen Devor puts into perspective. “Philadelphia is an amazing city of unique neighborhoods, and so what better way to share important information than through your neighbors.”

Understanding art in our public space as a powerful tool for communication, the project works to encourage Philadelphians to display local artist-created posters in their window that informs their neighbors about voting by mail!

Each artist’s poster will be available to download for free in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese. The posters will also be distributed to local nonprofits that are still serving people in person, led by SEAMAAC. Wider distribution will be coordinated by organizational partners co-led by The Committee of 70, Ceiba, and All Voting is Local focusing on translation access for elections in over 10 languages.

And y’all, you know I say this all the time, but you don’t need to look far to see the power of art in our public space. From the millions of dollars marketers spend on outdoor advertising each year in efforts to influence consumer behaviors to the near immediate action by countless Philadelphians across the city to draw or paint rainbows for their home’s windows to inspire hope and togetherness as we stay at home during the Coronavirus pandemic. I hope many of you will join us in using art to promote voting in this election!

Download our #VoteByMailPHL posters for free download at bit.ly/votebymailphl and display in your windows today!

You can learn more and apply for your Vote By Mail ballot by calling 1-877-VOTESPA (868-3772) or visiting votespa.com/applymailballot. Applications due by 5:00PM on May 26 and you must mail your ballot back before June 2 (Election Day).