Conversations with the Commissioners

Show Synopsis: Conversations with the Commissioners delivers weekly on-air updates on national, state and local elections, keeping listeners informed and engaged with the latest electoral developments. The Philadelphia City Commissioners, a three-member bipartisan board, are responsible for overseeing elections and voter registration in Philadelphia. Listen to insights from the commissioners and their special guests every Saturday on WURD Radio. Tune in on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Commissioner Omar Sabir (D) was elected on November 5, 2019 and sworn in as City Commissioner of the County of Philadelphia on January 6, 2020. His primary goal as Commissioner is to empower and enable all Philadelphians to participate in the voting process by addressing voter apathy and educating communities about the importance of civic engagement.

Prior to his election, Commissioner Sabir focused his career on community advocacy. He served as a senior staffer in the Office of Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes and held senior roles at the Nathaniel Sabir Memorial Scholarship Fund, Citizens for State Representative Louise Williams Bishop, and the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania. Early in his career, Commissioner Sabir served as a union construction worker where he gained critical insight into the issues and concerns of working families.

Commissioner Lisa Deeley (D) was first sworn in as City Commissioner on January 4, 2016. Since then, as City Commissioner, Lisa has made it a priority to bring the electoral process to the citizens of Philadelphia. She has used her extensive background in constituent service and outreach to bring the Commissioners’ Office to the people. She led the department through the administration of the 2020 presidential election and successfully instituted mail-in voting for Philadelphia, unwavering in her responsibilities while under the critical scrutiny of the entire world during a devastating pandemic. Under her watch Philadelphia transitioned to a new voting system, with voter-verifiable paper ballots, and introduced Electronic Pollbooks

In addition to working with schools and students, Lisa often partners with community groups, senior organizations, civic centers, and other populations looking to receive voter education training and resources.

Commissioner Seth Bluestein (R) has served as City Commissioner – one of three members of the Board of Elections in charge of election operations and voter registration for the City of Philadelphia – since February 2022. Prior to serving as Commissioner, Seth was Chief Deputy Commissioner for former City Commissioner Al Schmidt.

Seth began working in the Office of the City Commissioners in 2012 as a Deputy Commissioner before being promoted to Chief Deputy Commissioner in 2017. From 2018 through 2021, Seth also served as the department’s Chief Integrity Officer.