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🗳️When we think Pa.’s big elections will be called | Morning Newsletter

And former Wawa employees reflect on safety

Workers on the hall floor at the Pennsylvania Convention Center count ballots for the 2020 presidential election at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia on Nov. 4, 2020.
Workers on the hall floor at the Pennsylvania Convention Center count ballots for the 2020 presidential election at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia on Nov. 4, 2020.Read moreALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Staff Photographer

    The Morning Newsletter

    Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter

We’re in for another sunny day with temps reaching the mid-60s.

Happy Friday. Congrats, you made it to the weekend. I hope you have something sweet with your breakfast. You deserve it.

Our lead story is all about counting election votes. If you have a question about it, our story probably has the answer.

We have a lot today, so let’s dive in.

If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.

— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

The bad news: We could be in for a long election night.

The good news: It probably won’t be 2020 long.

  1. There are some changes this year that will speed up the vote counting and reporting.

  2. There will also be fewer mail ballots to tally.

There’s a decent chance the biggest races could be called on election night, Nov. 8, or shortly after — unless the margins are so tight we’ll have to wait for the final votes. Most votes will be reported within just a few hours of polls closing at 8 p.m., and the vast majority should be counted by the next day.

This election might feel like what we’re used to before the 2020 expansion of mail voting, when races were called quickly. However, the rise of mail voting has fundamentally changed how ballots are cast and counted and will undoubtedly affect this election, too.

  1. Beware of the “blue shift”: Democrats are more likely to vote by mail compared to Republicans. When polls close the first numbers reported are mail ballots counted throughout the day and those tend to lean Democratic. The in-person votes will then be counted, likely shifting the lead to Republicans. But the total will shift back toward Democrats as more mail ballots are counted.

Keep reading to learn about the major factors in calling races.

What you should know today

  1. A Common Pleas Court judge ruled that antiabortion activists can’t stop Philadelphia’s $500,000 donation to a group that funds abortions.

  2. An accused Roxborough gunman was out on bail at the time of the shooting despite his conviction for another crime. 🔑

  3. The U.S. surgeon general came to Philadelphia to roll out a plan to address how workplace toxicity can impact mental health and provide guidance on how to improve it.

  4. After two decades, a longtime New Jersey marijuana activist officially changed his name to “NJweedman.com.”

  5. Local coronavirus numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.

A handful of former Wawa employees shared with The Inquirer their experiences working for the stores and their takes on the Center City closures because of “continued safety and security challenges.”

John Deary, 35, has worked at half a dozen Wawas over 17 years in both the suburbs and the city before quitting last year. He remembers a lot of fights. He acknowledges that working there can be a scary environment but is disappointed with the Center City closures and offered a solution.

  1. “I’m not sure if many stores did this, or still do this, but early in the pandemic, some slower stores kept their doors locked and only filled delivery and mobile orders,” he said. “I also know Wawa has been testing drive-thru and walk-up window options. Maybe Center City stores could rely on order pickups or a delivery window during late-night hours.”

Joe Crescente, 44, worked at a Wawa in New Hope and said the decision to close the two stores is a bad idea because Wawa represents Philadelphia. He sees the chain’s move as a symptom of a larger issue.

  1. “Anything that’s getting pinned on Wawa is not a Wawa problem alone — it’s a citywide problem,” he said.

Keep reading to hear from other past employees and how they feel about safety at Wawa stores.

🧠 Philly Trivia Time 🧠

Roughly how long did it take for Philadelphians to claim 300,000 avocados at FDR park during the first day of a giveaway?

A) 3 hours

B) 6 hours

C) 3 days

D) 2 hours

Find out if you know the answer.

What we’re...

🎵 Reading: “Black conductors pick up the baton.” There is a rise of Black music directors but they still make up only 2.4% of institutions’ leaders.

💭 Wondering: How new development will impact the Avenue of the Arts 🔑

🦥 Sharing: A little video of Jabba, the Philadelphia Zoo’s sloth, eating a carrot. It’s probably the cutest thing you’ll see today.

🧩 Unscramble the Anagram 🧩

Hint: A typical commuter bridge

BRINN EIJKMANFLAN

Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. We’ll give a shout-out to a reader at random who answers correctly. Today’s shout-out goes to Katie Squire, who correctly guessed Avenue of the Arts as Thursday’s answer.

Photo of the Day

And that’s your Friday. Enjoy your weekend. If you haven’t yet this season, it’s not too late to go pumpkin-picking. My colleague Ashley Hoffman will be back in your inbox on Sunday.