Philadelphia Question #1 — Proposed Charter Change: contracting preferences and set-asides for small and local businesses

What it does

Should the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to revise the City’s contracting procedures to allow for bid preferences and set-asides for small businesses; modify the threshold and standards for contracts that can be set aside for small and local businesses; and grant the Procurement Department and the City Solicitor discretion on bond requirements for certain construction projects?

A YES vote means

Philadelphia's charter would allow bid preferences and set-asides for small businesses, change the thresholds and standards for contracts set aside for small and local businesses, and let the Procurement Department and City Solicitor decide bond requirements for certain construction projects.

A NO vote means

The charter's current city contracting procedures would not change.

Needed to pass

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Left–right lean

Unclear: our AI read of the official summary isn't confident enough (we require 70%) to place this on the left–right spectrum, so we don't. Read the summary and decide for yourself.

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Only on your ballot if you live in the countywide (City and County of Philadelphia).

Background

City Council submitted this charter change through Bill No. 260457, introduced May 7, 2026 and sponsored by Councilmembers Kenyatta Johnson and Katherine Gilmore Richardson, which became law June 23, 2026; the amendment text is in Resolution No. 260467, adopted June 4, 2026.

The City Commissioners' official statement says a yes vote would amend the Charter so the City can give contracting preferences to small businesses and expand them for local businesses on City-funded projects.

As the ballot question states, the amendment would also change the threshold and standards for contracts set aside for small and local businesses and give the Procurement Department and City Solicitor discretion on bond requirements for certain construction projects.

Put on the ballot by Philadelphia City Council, Bill No. 260457 (became law June 23, 2026) and Resolution No. 260467 (adopted June 4, 2026).

From official source 1, official source 2.

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Also on Philadelphia County ballots

• Philadelphia Question #2 — Proposed Charter Change: Creative Philadelphia (Chief Cultural Officer)

All Philadelphia County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Philadelphia Question #1 mean?

Philadelphia's charter would allow bid preferences and set-asides for small businesses, change the thresholds and standards for contracts set aside for small and local businesses, and let the Procurement Department and City Solicitor decide bond requirements for certain construction projects.

What does a NO vote on Philadelphia Question #1 mean?

The charter's current city contracting procedures would not change.

How many votes does Philadelphia Question #1 need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on Philadelphia Question #1?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

When is the vote?

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.