A public site providing election returns will be available tonight, according to the city. The address is: http://www.phillyelectionresults.com
Making the results available online for the public has been an ongoing saga. Activist Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg last year requested online access to local election returns. Previously, results were only available to city bigwigs and paying media on a password protected site.
A public site was set up for the November election, using $350,000 in federal funds. But federal funds are not available for the primary. And so two weeks ago, the City Commissioners -- who run elections and voter registration -- said they would not be able to provide returns on a public website for the primary because they could not afford the $30,000 in hosting fees.
After that announcement, the city stepped in and said the site would be made available with the financial help of the Department of Technology.
By November, a planned upgrade should be complete that will provide a permanent public site without the fees.