Amidst a competitive election season in which the city will elect a new mayor and the entire 17-member City Council, 65% of Philadelphians say that the city is on the wrong track, according to What Philly Wants: The Every Voice, Every Vote Survey of Philadelphia Voters, a new comprehensive public opinion poll that provides insights into the most pressing issues facing Philadelphia.

Crime and public safety were identified by residents as the top priority to be addressed by the next administration. And while 85% are absolutely certain that they are registered to vote at their current address, about half (45%) of respondents do not know which City Council member represents their district.

Commissioned by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, the study is a key component of Every Voice, Every Vote – a citywide initiative that brings together community groups and media organizations to elevate Philadelphia’s diverse voices, inform voters, and promote civic action.  At the core of the project is a coalition of more than 55 media and community partners that serve every neighborhood in Philadelphia through multilingual, nonpartisan, issues-oriented journalism, community listening activities, public voter engagement events, candidate forums, voter guides, and more. The poll will help the Every Voice, Every Vote partners better understand how to engage Philadelphia’s diverse communities in the electoral process.

The Lenfest Institute engaged market research firm SSRS to conduct The Every Voice, Every Vote Survey of Philadelphia Voters. The Pew Charitable Trusts advised on survey development and will publish an analysis of the results in April.