Philly's Resign-to-Run Ballot Question Pulled from May Election

City Council voted to remove the referendum that could have allowed lawmakers to keep their seats while running for state or federal office.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 6:05pm

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A serene, cinematic painting of an empty city council chamber, with warm sunlight streaming through the windows and deep shadows cast across the empty seats, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation about the ongoing political debate.The debate over Philadelphia's resign-to-run rules continues, as city leaders weigh the balance between political ambition and stable local governance.Philadelphia Today

The Philadelphia City Council voted to remove a ballot question that would have allowed city lawmakers to remain in their seats while running for state or federal office. The question, which was set to appear on the May primary election ballot, was pulled due to concerns about the timing and the scope of the proposal.

Why it matters

Philadelphia's resign-to-run rules have been a contentious issue for years, with the city's voters rejecting previous attempts to change them in 2007 and 2014. The latest effort to modify the rules sparked debate about whether elected officials should be able to keep their current positions while campaigning for higher office.

The details

In February, City Council voted 15-1 to put a referendum on the May ballot that would have allowed city lawmakers to run for state or federal office without having to resign their current seats. However, on Monday, the Council's Committee on Law and Government approved a bill to remove the question from the upcoming primary election. Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, who initially pushed for the change, said he received pushback about the proposal only including elected officials and not other city workers. Thomas also cited the importance of the upcoming midterm congressional elections as a factor in pulling the question from the ballot.

  • In February 2026, City Council voted 15-1 to put the resign-to-run referendum on the May primary election ballot.
  • On April 6, 2026, the Council's Committee on Law and Government approved a bill to remove the question from the May ballot.

The players

Cherelle Parker

The current mayor of Philadelphia, who resigned from City Council in order to run for mayor in 2023.

Isaiah Thomas

A Philadelphia City Council member who initially pushed for the resign-to-run referendum, but later decided to pull it from the May ballot.

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What they’re saying

“I don't necessarily know if right now is the right time and I don't know if this is the right version.”

— Isaiah Thomas, Philadelphia City Council member

What’s next

Councilmember Thomas said he is not ruling out bringing back an end to the resign-to-run rules at a future date, but for now the issue has been removed from the May primary election ballot.

The takeaway

Philadelphia's long-standing resign-to-run rules, which require city lawmakers to give up their seats in order to run for higher office, remain in place for the time being. The latest effort to modify these rules has been postponed, reflecting the ongoing debate around the appropriate balance between political ambition and maintaining stable local government.