Editing Philadelphia (section)

==Law and government==
{{See also|Philadelphia City Hall}}
[[File:Independence Hall 4.jpg|thumb|[[Old City Hall (Philadelphia)|Old City Hall]] at 5th and [[Chestnut Street (Philadelphia)|Chestnut Street]], Philadelphia's town hall from 1800 to 1854]]
Philadelphia County is a [[legal nullity]]. All county functions were assumed by the city in 1952.<ref name="Charter"/> The city has been coterminous with the county since 1854.<ref name=Consolidation/>

Philadelphia's 1952 [[Home Rule]] [[Municipal charter|Charter]] was written by the City Charter Commission, which was created by the [[Pennsylvania General Assembly]] in an act of April 1949, and a city ordinance of June 1949. The existing [[city council]] received a proposed draft in February 1951, and the electors approved it in an election held in April 1951.<ref name=PHRC>{{cite web |url=http://www.seventy.org/Files/Philadelphia_Home_Rule_Charter.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525001736/http://www.seventy.org/Files/Philadelphia_Home_Rule_Charter.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 25, 2010 |title=Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, Annotated |access-date=January 31, 2010 |author=Charter Commission |orig-year=1951 |year=1967 |publisher=City of Philadelphia }}</ref> The first elections under the new Home Rule Charter were held in November 1951, and the newly elected officials took office in January 1952.<ref name="Charter">{{cite web |title=City Charter Commission |work=Agency History |publisher=City of Philadelphia, Department of Records |date=November 8, 2000 |url=http://www.phila.gov/phils/Docs/Inventor/graphics/agencies/A142.htm |access-date=April 18, 2009 |archive-date=June 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629015203/http://www.phila.gov/phils/Docs/Inventor/graphics/agencies/A142.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

The city uses the [[Mayor–council government#Strong-mayor form|strong-mayor]] version of the mayor–council form of government, which is led by one mayor in whom [[executive (government)|executive authority]] is vested. The mayor has the authority to appoint and dismiss members of all boards and commissions without the approval of the city council. Elected [[at-large]], the mayor is limited to two consecutive four-year terms, but can run for the position again after an intervening term.<ref name=PHRC/>

===Courts===
{{See also|District Attorney of Philadelphia|United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit|United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania}}
[[Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia County]] is coterminous with the [[First Judicial District of Pennsylvania]]. The Philadelphia County [[Pennsylvania courts of common pleas|Court of Common Pleas]] is the [[trial court]] of [[general jurisdiction]] for the city, hearing [[felony]]-level criminal cases and civil suits above the minimum jurisdictional limit of $10,000. The court has [[appellate jurisdiction]] over rulings from the [[Philadelphia Municipal Court|Municipal]] and Traffic Courts, and some administrative agencies and boards. The trial division has 70 commissioned judges elected by the voters, along with about one thousand other employees.<ref>[http://www.courts.phila.gov/common-pleas/trial/ "Trial Division"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131051555/http://www.courts.phila.gov/common-pleas/trial/ |date=January 31, 2018 }}. ''courts.phila.gov''. First Judicial District of Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 6, 2018.</ref> The court has a family division with 25 judges<ref>[http://www.courts.phila.gov/common-pleas/family/ "Family Division"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225093508/http://courts.phila.gov/common-pleas/family/ |date=February 25, 2018 }}. ''courts.phila.gov''. First Judicial District of Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 6, 2018.</ref> and an orphans' court with three judges.<ref>[http://www.courts.phila.gov/common-pleas/orphans/ "Orphans' Court"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131180843/http://www.courts.phila.gov/common-pleas/orphans/ |date=January 31, 2018 }}. ''courts.phila.gov''. First Judicial District of Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 6, 2018.</ref>

{{As of|2018}}, the city's [[District Attorney of Philadelphia|District Attorney]] is [[Larry Krasner]], a Democrat.<ref>Chris Brennan & Aubrey Whelan (November 7, 2017). [http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/city/larry-krasner-wins-race-for-philly-da-20171107.html "Larry Krasner wins race for Philly DA"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202022648/http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/city/larry-krasner-wins-race-for-philly-da-20171107.html |date=February 2, 2018 }}. ''philly.com''. ''The Philadelphia Inquirer''. Retrieved February 6, 2018.</ref> The last Republican to hold the office is [[Ronald D. Castille]], who left in 1991 and later served as the Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court from 2008 to 2014.<ref>Peter Hall (January 10, 2015). [http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-pa-supreme-court-castille-20150110-story.html "Retiring Chief Justice Castille says he kept faith in fellow jurists"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005104/http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-pa-supreme-court-castille-20150110-story.html |date=February 7, 2018 }}. ''mcall.com''. ''The Morning Call''. Retrieved February 6, 2018.</ref>

The [[Philadelphia Municipal Court]] handles traffic cases, misdemeanor and felony criminal cases with maximum incarceration of five years, and civil cases involving $12,000 or less ($15,000 in real estate and school tax cases), and all landlord-tenant disputes. The municipal court has 27 judges elected by the voters.<ref name="Municipal Court">{{cite web |url=http://www.courts.phila.gov/municipal/ |title=MunicipalCourt |access-date=February 11, 2010 |date=February 11, 2010 |work=The Philadelphia Courts, First Judicial District of Pennsylvania |archive-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427033913/http://courts.phila.gov/municipal/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Pennsylvania's three [[appellate court]]s also have sittings in Philadelphia. The [[Supreme Court of Pennsylvania]], the court of last resort in the state, regularly hears arguments in [[Philadelphia City Hall]].<ref>[http://www.pacourts.us/courts/supreme-court/calendar "Courts>Supreme Court>Calendar"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206092038/http://www.pacourts.us/courts/supreme-court/calendar |date=February 6, 2018 }}. ''pacourts.us''. The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 6, 2018.</ref> The [[Superior Court of Pennsylvania]] and the [[Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania]] also sit in Philadelphia several times a year.<ref>[http://www.pacourts.us/courts/superior-court/calendar "Courts>Superior Court>Calendar"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206190233/http://www.pacourts.us/courts/superior-court/calendar |date=February 6, 2018 }}. ''pacourts.us''. The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 6, 2018.</ref><ref>[http://www.pacourts.us/courts/commonwealth-court/calendar "Courts>Commonwealth Court>Calendar"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206070055/http://www.pacourts.us/courts/commonwealth-court/calendar |date=February 6, 2018 }}. ''pacourts.us''. The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 6, 2018.</ref> Judges for these courts are elected at large.<ref>[http://www.pacourts.us/learn/how-judges-are-elected "How Judges Are Elected"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206090751/http://www.pacourts.us/learn/how-judges-are-elected |date=February 6, 2018 }}. ''pacourts.us''. The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 6, 2018.</ref> The state Supreme Court and Superior Court have deputy [[prothonotary]] offices in Philadelphia.<ref>[http://www.pacourts.us/courts/supreme-court/prothonotarys-addresses "Supreme Court Prothonotary's Addresses"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206094413/http://www.pacourts.us/courts/supreme-court/prothonotarys-addresses |date=February 6, 2018 }}. ''pacourts.us''. The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 6, 2018.</ref><ref>[http://www.pacourts.us/courts/superior-court/prothonotarys-addresses "Superior Court Prothonotary's Addresses"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206190258/http://www.pacourts.us/courts/superior-court/prothonotarys-addresses |date=February 6, 2018 }}. ''pacourts.us''. The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 6, 2018.</ref>

Philadelphia is home to the federal [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania]] and the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit|Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit]], both of which are housed in the [[James A. Byrne United States Courthouse]].<ref>[http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/court-info/court-locations/philadelphia "Court Info » Court Locations – Philadelphia"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131043206/http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/court-info/court-locations/philadelphia |date=January 31, 2018 }}. ''uscourts.gov''. United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 6, 2018.</ref><ref>[http://www.ca3.uscourts.gov/court-info/court-location "About the Court » Court Location – Philadelphia"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115120827/http://www.ca3.uscourts.gov/court-info/court-location |date=January 15, 2018 }}. ''uscourts.gov''. United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Retrieved February 6, 2018.</ref>

===Politics===
{{See also|List of mayors of Philadelphia|Philadelphia City Council|Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania#Politics}}
[[File:Musical Fund Hall Philly.jpg|thumb|[[Musical Fund Hall]] at 808 [[Locust Street]] hosted the first nominating [[Republican National Convention]] in [[1856 Republican National Convention|1856]]]]
[[File:Councilmember Cherelle Parker.jpg|thumb|[[Cherelle Parker]], ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]]), the 100th and current [[Mayor of Philadelphia]]]]
The current mayor is [[Cherelle Parker]] who won the election in November 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 8, 2023 |title=Democrat Cherelle Parker elected first female mayor of Philadelphia |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/cherelle-parker-become-first-female-philadelphia-mayor-election-win-rcna122107 |access-date=January 1, 2024 |website=NBC News |language=en |archive-date=January 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101051442/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/cherelle-parker-become-first-female-philadelphia-mayor-election-win-rcna122107 |url-status=live }}</ref> Parker's predecessor, [[Jim Kenney]], served two terms from 2016 to January 2024.<ref name=Nutter>{{cite news |url=http://www.economist.com/node/21538192 |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |title=Michael Nutter easily wins a second term in City Hall |date=November 12, 2011 |access-date=February 28, 2018 |archive-date=November 11, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111180025/http://www.economist.com/node/21538192 |url-status=live }}</ref> Parker is a member of the [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic Party]]. For over seven decades, since 1952, every [[List of mayors of Philadelphia#List of Mayors|Philadelphia mayor]] has been a Democrat.

[[Philadelphia City Council]] is the legislative branch which consists of ten council members representing individual districts and seven members elected [[at-large]], all of whom are elected to four-year terms.<ref>[http://library.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Pennsylvania/philadelphia_pa/thephiladelphiacode?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:philadelphia_pa "The Philadelphia Code {{!}} Philadelphia Home Rule Charter {{!}} Article II Legislative Branch The Council – Its Election, Organization, Powers and Duties {{!}} Chapter 1 The Council {{!}} § 2–100. Number, Terms and Salaries of Councilmen"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305040633/http://library.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Pennsylvania/philadelphia_pa/thephiladelphiacode?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:philadelphia_pa |date=March 5, 2018 }}. ''library.amlegal.com''. American Legal Publishing Corp. Retrieved February 28, 2018.</ref> Democrats are currently the majority and hold 14 seats including nine of the ten districts and five at-large seats. Republicans hold one seat: the [[Northeast Philadelphia|Northeast-based]] Tenth District. The [[Working Families Party]] holds two at-large seats making them the council's minority party. The current council president is [[Kenyatta Johnson]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://phlcouncil.com/council-members/ |title=Council Members |website=[[Philadelphia City Council]] |date=November 17, 2015 |access-date=April 13, 2024 |archive-date=March 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301164446/http://phlcouncil.com/council-members/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Philadelphia's political structure consists of a system of wards and divisions. There are 66 wards with 11 to 51 divisions each for a total of 1703 divisions. Each division elects two committee people who are supposed to live within the division boundaries, and committee people select a leader for their ward.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://seventy.org/political-maps-of-philadelphia/city-wards-and-divisions |title=City Wards and Divisions |access-date=April 13, 2024 |website=[[Committee of Seventy]] |archive-date=May 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510005729/https://seventy.org/political-maps-of-philadelphia/city-wards-and-divisions |url-status=live }}</ref> Democrats and Republicans elect their own committee people every four years. The committee person's role is to serve as a point of contact between voters and party officials and help get out the vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://seventy.org/uploads/attachments/ckyufrip62b7d5onp7as62k90-how-to-run-for-committee-person-handbook-last-updated-01-24-22.pdf |title=How to Run for Committee Person |access-date=April 13, 2024 |website=[[Committee of Seventy]] |archive-date=January 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106074745/https://seventy.org/uploads/attachments/ckyufrip62b7d5onp7as62k90-how-to-run-for-committee-person-handbook-last-updated-01-24-22.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Most wards are closed which means the ward leader makes sole endorsement decisions; open wards allow committee people to weigh in on these decisions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/open-wards-for-all/ |title=Open Wards for All |last=Geeting |first=Jon |date=August 18, 2018 |website=The Philadelphia Citizen }}</ref> There are groups such as [https://www.openwardsphilly.com Open Wards Philadelphia] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240402232455/https://www.openwardsphilly.com/ |date=April 2, 2024 }} and individuals who are working to elect ward leaders who promote an open ward system.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CW8iDQAAQBAJ |title=Green Shoots of Democracy |last=Bojar |first=Karen |date=2016 |publisher=She Writes Press |isbn=9781631521416 }}</ref>

{{Pie chart|thumb=right|value1=75.16|value2=11.29|value3=11.04|value4=2.50|color4={{party color|Green Party (United States)}}|color3={{party color|Independent (United States)}}|color2={{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|color1={{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}|caption=Chart of voter registration|label1=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]|label2=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]|label3=[[Independent (United States)|Independent]]|label4=[[Third party (United States)|Other Parties]]}}

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="6" | Philadelphia County voter registration statistics as of March 4, 2024<ref name="Voter Registration">{{cite web |author=Pennsylvania Department of State |date=December 18, 2023 |title=Voter registration statistics by county |url=https://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/OtherServicesEvents/VotingElectionStatistics/Documents/currentvotestats.xls |access-date=December 20, 2023 |website=dos.pa.gov |format=XLS |archive-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411021457/https://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/OtherServicesEvents/VotingElectionStatistics/Documents/currentvotestats.xls |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" | Political Party
! Total Voters
! Percentage
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| align="center" | 775,851
| align="center" | 75.00%
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| align="center" | 117,639
| align="center" | 11.37%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| No Party Affiliation
| align="center" | 114,990
| align="center" | 11.11%
|-
| {{party color cell|Green Party (United States)}}
| Minor parties 
| align="center" | 25,924
| align="center" | 2.50%
|-
! colspan="2" | Total
! align="center" | 1,034,404
! align="center" | 100.00%
|}

Philadelphia had historically been a bastion of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] from the [[American Civil War]] until the mid-1930s.<ref>Keels, Thomas H. (2016). [http://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/contractor-bosses-1880s-to-1930s/ "Contractor Bosses (1880s to 1930s)"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301164551/http://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/contractor-bosses-1880s-to-1930s/ |date=March 1, 2018 }}. ''philadelphiaencyclopedia.org''. The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. Retrieved March 1, 2018.</ref><ref>[http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20160925_Long_before_2016_craziness__there_was_Philadelphia_1935.html "Long before 2016 craziness, there was Philadelphia 1935"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301225056/http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20160925_Long_before_2016_craziness__there_was_Philadelphia_1935.html |date=March 1, 2018 }}. ''philly.com''. ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]''. September 25, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2018.</ref> In [[1856 Republican National Convention|1856]], the first [[Republican National Convention]] was held at [[Musical Fund Hall]] at 808 [[Locust Street]] in Philadelphia.<ref>[https://www.republicanviews.org/the-birth-of-the-republican-party/ "The Birth Of The Republican Party"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301224836/https://www.republicanviews.org/the-birth-of-the-republican-party/ |date=March 1, 2018 }}. ''republicanviews.org''. Republican Views. August 29, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2018.</ref>

Democratic registrations increased after the [[Great Depression]]; however, the city was not carried by Democrat [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in his [[1932 United States presidential election|landslide victory of 1932]], as Pennsylvania was one of only six states won by Republican [[Herbert Hoover]]. Voter turnout surged from 600,000 in 1932 to nearly 900,000 in [[1936 United States presidential election|1936]] and Roosevelt carried Philadelphia with over 60% of the vote. Philadelphia has voted Democratic in every presidential election since 1936. In [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]], Democrat [[Barack Obama]] drew 83% of the city's vote. Obama's win was even larger in [[2012 United States presidential election|2012]], capturing 85% of the vote. In [[2016 United States presidential election|2016]], Democrat [[Hillary Clinton]] won 82% of the vote.<ref name=elections/>

As a result of the previously declining population in the city and state,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-08.pdf |title=Congressional Apportionment 2010 Census Briefs |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |author=Kristin D. Burnett |date=November 2011 |access-date=March 1, 2018 |archive-date=November 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119155913/http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-08.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Philadelphia has only three [[congressional district]]s of the 18 districts in Pennsylvania, based on the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] apportionment:<ref>[https://www.seventy.org/tools/political-maps-of-philadelphia/congressional-districts "Pennsylvania is currently represented by 18 individuals in the 435-member United States House of Representatives. Three districts cover parts of Philadelphia."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301225119/https://www.seventy.org/tools/political-maps-of-philadelphia/congressional-districts |date=March 1, 2018 }}. ''seventy.org''. Committee of Seventy. Retrieved March 1, 2018.</ref> [[Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district|the 2nd district]], represented by [[Brendan Boyle]]; [[Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district|the 3rd]], represented by [[Dwight Evans (politician)|Dwight Evans]]; and [[Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district|the 5th]], represented by [[Mary Gay Scanlon]].<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/PA#representatives "Congress / Members of Congress / Pennsylvania"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301164756/https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/PA#representatives |date=March 1, 2018 }}. ''govtrack.us''. Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved March 1, 2018.</ref> All three representatives are Democrats, though Republicans still have some support in the city, primarily in the [[Northeast Philadelphia|Northeast]].<ref>[http://phlcouncil.com/BrianONeill "Councilman Brian J. O'Neill {{!}} District 10 {{!}} Minority Leader"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301164807/http://phlcouncil.com/BrianONeill |date=March 1, 2018 }}. ''phlcouncil.com''. The Council of the City of Philadelphia. Retrieved February 28, 2018.</ref> [[Sam Katz (Philadelphia)|Sam Katz]] ran competitive mayoral races as the Republican nominee in [[Philadelphia mayoral election, 1999|1999]] and [[Philadelphia mayoral election, 2003|2003]], losing to Democrat [[John F. Street|John Street]] both times.<ref>Clines, Francis X. (November 4, 1999). [https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/04/us/democrat-wins-in-a-squeaker-election-for-mayor-of-philadelphia.html "Democrat Wins in a Squeaker Election for Mayor of Philadelphia"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301164906/http://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/04/us/democrat-wins-in-a-squeaker-election-for-mayor-of-philadelphia.html |date=March 1, 2018 }}. ''[[The New York Times]]''. Retrieved February 28, 2018.</ref><ref>Clemetson, Lynette (November 5, 2003). [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/05/us/philadelphia-easily-gives-second-term-to-its-mayor.html "Philadelphia Easily Gives Second Term to Its Mayor"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301164914/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/05/us/philadelphia-easily-gives-second-term-to-its-mayor.html |date=March 1, 2018 }}. ''[[The New York Times]]''. Retrieved February 28, 2018.</ref>

Pennsylvania's longest-serving [[List of United States Senators from Pennsylvania|Senator]], [[Arlen Specter]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Senator Arlen Specter to Teach At Penn Law |url=http://www.law.upenn.edu/blogs/news/archives/2011/01/senator_arlen_specter_to_teach_at_penn_law.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110702225529/http://www.law.upenn.edu/blogs/news/archives/2011/01/senator_arlen_specter_to_teach_at_penn_law.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 2, 2011 |work=News and Stories |publisher=The University of Pennsylvania School of Law |access-date=February 24, 2012 }}</ref> was an [[alumnus]] of the [[University of Pennsylvania]] who opened his first law practice in Philadelphia.<ref name=SpecterBio>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=s000709 "Specter, Arlen, (1930–2012)"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121211233147/http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S000709 |date=December 11, 2012 }}. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved March 1, 2018.</ref> Specter served as a Republican from 1981 and as a Democrat from 2009, losing that party's primary in [[United States Senate Democratic primary election in Pennsylvania, 2010|2010]] and leaving office in January 2011.<ref>Toeplitz, Shira (May 18, 2010). [http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37464.html "The admiral sinks Arlen Specter"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018044009/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37464.html |date=October 18, 2012 }}. ''[[Politico (newspaper)|Politico]]''. Retrieved March 1, 2018.</ref> He was assistant counsel on the [[Warren Commission]] in 1964 and the city's district attorney from 1966 to 1974.<ref name=SpecterBio/>

Philadelphia has hosted various [[United States presidential nominating convention|national conventions]], including in [[1848 Whig National Convention|1848 (Whig)]], [[1856 Republican National Convention|1856 (Republican)]], [[1872 Republican National Convention|1872 (Republican)]], [[1900 Republican National Convention|1900 (Republican)]], [[1936 Democratic National Convention|1936 (Democratic)]], [[1940 Republican National Convention|1940 (Republican)]], [[1948 Republican National Convention|1948 (Republican)]], [[1948 Progressive National Convention|1948 (Progressive)]], [[2000 Republican National Convention|2000 (Republican)]], and [[2016 Democratic National Convention|2016 (Democratic)]].<ref name="gtmadonna">{{cite news |last1=Madonna |first1=G. Terry |title=Politically Uncorrected: Presidential nominees and Philadelphia conventions |url=http://www.dailylocal.com/article/DL/20150213/LOCAL1/150219881 |access-date=March 30, 2016 |publisher=Daily Local News |date=February 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414222037/http://www.dailylocal.com/article/DL/20150213/LOCAL1/150219881 |archive-date=April 14, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Philadelphia has been home to one vice president, [[George M. Dallas]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://millercenter.org/president/polk/essays/dallas-1845-vicepresident |title=George M. Dallas (1845–1849) – Vice President |website=millercenter.org |date=October 4, 2016 |publisher=Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia |access-date=March 1, 2018 |archive-date=December 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225140523/https://millercenter.org/president/polk/essays/dallas-1845-vicepresident |url-status=live }}</ref> and one general of the American Civil War, [[George B. McClellan]], who won his party's nomination for president but lost in the general election to [[Abraham Lincoln]] in 1864.<ref>[https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/scores.html#1864 "Historical Election Results: Electoral College Box Scores 1789–1996"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722013143/https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/scores.html#1864 |date=July 22, 2019 }}. ''archives.gov''. National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved March 1, 2018.</ref> In May 2019, former U.S. Vice President [[Joe Biden]] chose Philadelphia to be his [[2020 U.S. presidential campaign]] headquarters.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.philly.com/news/joe-biden-2020-presidential-campaign-philadelphia-headquarters-20190516.html |title=Joe Biden chooses Philadelphia for 2020 presidential campaign headquarters |author=Jonathan Tamari |newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |date=May 16, 2019 |access-date=May 17, 2019 |archive-date=May 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520221215/https://www.philly.com/news/joe-biden-2020-presidential-campaign-philadelphia-headquarters-20190516.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Environmental policy ===
"Green Cities, Clean Water" is an environmental policy initiative based in Philadelphia that has shown promising results in mitigating the effects of climate change.<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last1=Shade |first1=Charlotte |last2=Kremer |first2=Peleg |last3=Rockwell |first3=Julia S. |last4=Henderson |first4=Keith G. |date=2020 |title=The effects of urban development and current green infrastructure policy on future climate change resilience |url=https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol25/iss4/art37/ |journal=Ecology and Society |language=en |volume=25 |issue=4 |pages=art37 |doi=10.5751/ES-12076-250437 |issn=1708-3087 |doi-access=free |access-date=May 21, 2021 |archive-date=May 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509051304/https://ecologyandsociety.org/vol25/iss4/art37/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The researchers on the policy have stated that despite such promising plans of [[green infrastructure]] building, "the city is forecasted to grow warmer, wetter, and more urbanized over the century, runoff and local temperatures will increase on average throughout the city".<ref name=":7" /> Even though landcover predictive models on the effects of the policy initiative have indicated that green infrastructure could be useful at decreasing the amount of runoff in the city over time, the city government would have to expand its current plans and "consider the cobenefit of [[climate change adaptation]] when planning new projects" in limiting the scope of city-wide temperature increase.<ref name=":7" />

===Public safety===
{{Further|Crime in Philadelphia|Philadelphia crime family}}

====Police and law enforcement====
{{Main|Philadelphia Police Department}}

[[File:Philadelphia Police Headquarters.jpg|thumb|The [[Philadelphia Police Department]] administration building, known as the Roundhouse, in [[Center City, Philadelphia|Center City]] east of [[Chinatown, Philadelphia|Chinatown]]]]
[[File:Philadelphia Police - cruiser on Ben Franklin Parkway.jpeg|thumb|A Philadelphia police cruiser on [[Benjamin Franklin Parkway]]]]
In a 2015 report by Pew Charitable Trusts, the [[Philadelphia Police Department#Districts|police districts]] with the highest rates of violent crime were [[Frankford, Philadelphia|Frankford]] (15th district) and [[Kensington, Philadelphia|Kensington]] (24th district) in the [[Near Northeast Philadelphia|Near Northeast]], and districts to the [[North Philadelphia|North]] (22nd, 25th, and 35th districts), [[West Philadelphia|West]] (19th district) and [[Southwest Philadelphia|Southwest]] (12th district) of [[Center City, Philadelphia|Center City]]. Each of those seven districts recorded more than a thousand violent crimes in 2014. The lowest rates of violent crime occurred in Center City, [[South Philadelphia]], the [[Far Northeast Philadelphia|Far Northeast]], and [[Roxborough, Philadelphia|Roxborough]] districts, the latter of which includes [[Manayunk, Philadelphia|Manayunk]].<ref name="State of the City 2015">{{cite web |url=http://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/Assets/2015/04/2015-State-of-the-City-Report_Web.pdf |title=Philadelphia 2015: The State of the City |website=pewtrusts.org |publisher=The Pew Charitable Trusts |date=March 2015 |access-date=April 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606054538/http://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/Assets/2015/04/2015-State-of-the-City-Report_Web.pdf |archive-date=June 6, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Philadelphia had 500, 503 according to some sources, murders in 1990, a rate of 31.5 per 100,000. An average of about 400 murders occurred each year for most of the 1990s. The murder count dropped in 2002 to 288, then rose to 406 by 2006, before dropping slightly to 392 in 2007.<ref name="mikenutterllc.com">{{cite web |url=https://mikenutterllc.com/news/news-item/philadelphia-homicides-1960-2020 |title=Philadelphia Homicides 1960-2020 |website=mikenutterllc.com |date=February 10, 2021 |access-date=December 22, 2021 |archive-date=December 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202170544/https://mikenutterllc.com/news/news-item/philadelphia-homicides-1960-2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bewley |first1=Joel |first2=Jan |last2=Hefler |date=December 11, 2006 |title=Four killings put 2006 total over '05 top |journal=The Philadelphia Inquirer |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmtpi/is_200612/ai_n16975780 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209122227/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmtpi/is_200612/ai_n16975780 |archive-date=December 9, 2007 }}</ref> A few years later, Philadelphia began to see a rapid decline in homicides and violent crime. In 2013, the city had 246 murders, which is a decrease of nearly 40% since 2006.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/01/the-year-in-murder-2013-marks-a-historic-low-for-many-cities.html |title=The Year in Murder: 2013 Marks a Historic Low for Many Cities |newspaper=The Daily Beast |date=January 2014 |access-date=February 25, 2014 |last1=Zadrozny |first1=Brandy |author-link1=Brandy Zadrozny |archive-date=February 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140216133414/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/01/the-year-in-murder-2013-marks-a-historic-low-for-many-cities.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2014, 248 homicides were committed. The homicide rate rose to 280 in 2015, then fell slightly to 277 in 2016, before rising again to 317 in 2017.<ref name="phillypolice.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.phillypolice.com/crime-maps-stats/ |title=Crime Maps & Stats – Philadelphia Police Department |access-date=January 24, 2017 |archive-date=January 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170126201348/https://www.phillypolice.com/crime-maps-stats/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Homicides increased dramatically in the late 2010s/early 2020s, reaching 499 homicides in 2020<ref name="mikenutterllc.com"/> and surpassing the 1990 "record" in 2021, with 501st murder on November 27 and 510 by the end of the month.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/sense-of-lawlessness-with-500-killings-2021-is-deadliest-in-philly-history/3057586/ |title='Sense of Lawlessness': With 500 Killings, 2021 Is Deadliest in Philly History |work=NBC10 Philadelphia |first1=Brian X. |last1=McCrone |first2=Rudy |last2=Chinchilla |date=November 25, 2021 |access-date=December 22, 2021 |archive-date=December 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211222160707/https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/sense-of-lawlessness-with-500-killings-2021-is-deadliest-in-philly-history/3057586/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Phillie ended the year with 562 murders, an all-time record. It dropped in 2022 to 514, and significantly further again in 2023, to 410.
<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphia-homicides-down-20-percent-2023-da-larry-krasner/ |title=Philly homicides down 20% in 2023, DA Larry Krasner says end of COVID restrictions helped |work=WHYY |last=MacDonald |first=Tom |date=January 4, 2024 |access-date=May 16, 2024 |archive-date=May 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517084430/https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphia-homicides-down-20-percent-2023-da-larry-krasner/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2006, Philadelphia's homicide rate of 27.7 per 100,000 people was the highest of the country's 10 most populous cities.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://inquirer.philly.com/graphics/homicide_map_2007/ |title=Philadelphia Homicides in 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420104106/http://inquirer.philly.com/graphics/homicide_map_2007/ |archive-date=April 20, 2008 }}</ref> In 2012, Philadelphia had the fourth-highest homicide rate among the country's most populous cities. The rate dropped to 16 homicides per 100,000 residents by 2014 placing Philadelphia as the sixth-highest city in the country.<ref name="State of the City 2015"/>

The number of shootings in the city has declined significantly since the early years of the 21st century. Shooting incidents peaked at 1,857 in 2006 before declining nearly 44 percent to 1,047 shootings in 2014.<ref name="State of the City 2015" /> Major crimes have decreased gradually since a peak in 2006 when 85,498 major crimes were reported. The number of reported major crimes fell 11 percent in three years to 68,815 occurrences in 2014. [[Violent crime]]s, which include homicide, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery, decreased 14 percent in three years to 15,771 occurrences in 2014.<ref name="State of the City 2015" />

In 2014, Philadelphia enacted an ordinance decriminalizing the possession of less than 30 grams of [[marijuana]] or eight grams of [[hashish]]; the ordinance gave police officers the discretion to treat possession of these amounts as a civil infraction punishable by a $25 ticket, rather than a crime.<ref name="Nuri">{{cite web |url=https://whyy.org/articles/activists-to-celebrate-4-years-of-marijuana-decriminalization-in-philadelphia/ |publisher=WHYY |title=Activists to celebrate 4 years of marijuana decriminalization in Philadelphia |first=Trenae |last=Nuri |date=October 19, 2018 |access-date=January 20, 2019 |archive-date=January 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121064229/https://whyy.org/articles/activists-to-celebrate-4-years-of-marijuana-decriminalization-in-philadelphia/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Goldstein">{{cite web |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/business/cannabis/3-years-after-decriminalization-philly-police-still-hooked-on-marijuana-arrests-20170602.html |work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |first=Chris |last=Goldstein |title=3 years after decriminalization, Philly police still hooked on marijuana arrests |date=June 5, 2017 |access-date=January 20, 2019 |archive-date=January 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121010908/http://www.philly.com/philly/business/cannabis/3-years-after-decriminalization-philly-police-still-hooked-on-marijuana-arrests-20170602.html |url-status=live }}</ref> At the time, Philadelphia was at the largest city in the nation to decriminalize the possession of marijuana.<ref name="Goldstein"/> From 2013 to 2018, marijuana arrests in the city dropped by more than 85%.<ref name="Nuri"/> The purchase or sale of marijuana remains a criminal offense in Philadelphia.<ref name="Goldstein"/>

====Firefighting====
{{main|Philadelphia Fire Department}}
The Philadelphia Fire Department provides [[fire protection]] and [[emergency medical services]] (EMS). The department's official mission is to protect public safety by quick and professional response to emergencies and the promotion of sound emergency prevention measures. This mandate encompasses all traditional [[Firefighting in the United States|firefighting]] functions, including fire suppression, with 60 engine companies and 30 ladder companies<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.phila.gov/phils/docs/inventor/graphics/agencies/a074.htm |title=Fire Department |website=www.phila.gov |access-date=June 14, 2019 |archive-date=February 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217152637/https://www.phila.gov/phils/Docs/Inventor/graphics/agencies/A074.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> as well as specialty and support units deployed throughout the city; specialized firefighting units for [[Philadelphia International Airport]] and the [[Port of Philadelphia]]; investigations conducted by the [[fire marshal]]'s office to determine the origins of fires and develop preventive strategies; [[Fire prevention|prevention]] programs to educate the public; and support services including research and planning, management of the fire communications center within the city's [[9-1-1|911]] system, and operation of the Philadelphia Fire Academy.