Skip to content
Things To Do
Link copied to clipboard

To do this week: Go vote

Two things this week: Voting and Halloween. And we've got everything you need to know to do both.

Here are tips on how to vote safely in person during a pandemic.
Here are tips on how to vote safely in person during a pandemic.Read moreCynthia Greer
    by Staff Reports
    Published 

On the to do list this week: Voting. We’ve got everything you need, including how to stay safe at the polls, what to do if you see voter intimidation happening, an FAQ that has all the answers, and how to deal with your friends who are planning to sit this election out. And, we haven’t forgotten that it’s also Halloween, so we’ve got the best scary spooky stuff all sorted out, too.

We’ve collected our best articles with our best Philly tips. They’re in one place here.

Stay healthy, stay safe, and, as much as possible, it’s still a good idea to stay home.

— thingstodo@inquirer.com

Know this

  1. 👉 What are the current Philadelphia guidelines by Grace Dickinson

  2. 🚔 What does ‘defund the police’ mean, and what would it look like in Philly? by Grace Dickinson

  3. 🌡️ How can I lower my energy bills? by Nick Vadala

  4. 🤒 If my kid has the sniffles, does the whole family need to quarantine? by Grace Dickinson

  5. 🏈 Fans can go back to the Linc for Eagles games. What do I need to know? by Les Bowen

» Ask us a question through Curious Philly: inquirer.com/askus

Stay safe, do stuff

Here is one highlight from our weekly events calendar:

  1. 🇲🇽 Fleisher Art Memorial Presents Día de los Muertos Procession (Fall event / virtual / outdoors) Fleisher broadcasts its Día de los Muertos procession on Facebook Live so guests can experience the sights and sounds of the annual holiday celebration. This year’s procession visits four community altars throughout the city and is more solemn as it honors those we lost to COVID-19 this year, in addition to other causes. (Free, Nov. 1, 3 p.m., fleisher.org, add to calendar)

🔎 Find more of this week’s safe kid-friendly, outdoor and arts events.

Do this

Election day is almost, finally, here. Next Tuesday, the votes will start to get counted. If you have already voted: 🎉. If not, here’s some essential information to make next Tuesday easier.

  1. What do I need to know to vote? Everything you need to know about voting by mail and in-person is right here in our voter guide, including how to check your ballot’s status, make sure you’re registered, whether you need ID, and more.

  2. Who’s on my ballot? Go vote, and be prepared! Enter your address in our ballot guide to find your district, polling location and who exactly will be on your ballot. We also have websites for all the candidates, if you need to do a little more research before you feel ready to vote.

  3. What should I do if I haven’t received my mail-in ballot yet? Don’t panic. You can check to see the status of your ballot, drop if off if it does turn up, and, if all else fails, you can still vote in person to make sure you vote is counted. Here’s everything you need to know.

  4. What should I do about my friend who isn’t voting? It has been a year of intense conversations about a lot of topics, and this week won’t be any different. If you have a friend or family member who isn’t planning to vote, here are useful suggestions about how to talk to them.

  5. Is it safe to vote in person? There are some risks, but there are lots of ways to make it safer. Here are 10 tips for staying safe while you vote, including going prepared, leaving kids at home (when possible), and leaving as soon as you are done voting.

  6. What should I do if I experience voter intimidation at the polls? If you’re registered, you have the right to cast a ballot. If you experience any intimidation while you try to vote, here’s what to do about it, and what numbers you can call if you need help.

  7. What is going to happen on election day? What will we know? What won’t we? We’ve broken down what you can expect on election day, why, and when experts think we’ll have answers.

» READ MORE: The election is almost here. Here’s some critical information to make voting easier.

Scare this

All hail Halloween! While the spookiest holiday is scary for a whole bunch of different reasons this year, all is not lost. There are lots of ways to celebrate, whether you have kids in tow or not.

  1. Stay home. If you want something seasonal to drink, here are some local pumpkin beers that will probably pair well with your own personal bowl of candy.

  2. Go out. There’s plenty to do around town on a Halloween theme. Here are some of our faves. And check out even more in this week’s events calendar.

  3. Go even further. If you leave the city, there are haunted hayrides, scarecrow walks, spooky drive-thrus and more.

  4. Make your own old-school Halloween treats. Here’s a recipe for caramel apples to satisfy that sweet tooth.

  5. If you’ve got kids. Local medical experts have creative ideas for keeping their kids safe and happy.

» HAPPY HALLOWEEN: Send us pictures of your costumes, jack o’lanterns and more.