Philadelphia's Next Mayor: Candidates for mayor speak out after results from new poll

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Philadelphia's Next Mayor: Candidates speak out after results from new poll

The race for Philadelphia mayor is close, according to a new poll released Friday, just weeks until the primary election.

The race for Philadelphia mayor is close, according to a new poll released Friday, just weeks until the primary election.

The poll finds the three women in the race leading with just a few points separating them.

Just over 1,000 democrats contacted by phone or text place former City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart in the lead at 18 percent.

Former State Representative and member of City Council Cherelle Parker is second at 17 percent, with former City Council Helen Gym at 15 percent. Former City Council member Allan Domb polled at 14 percent.

On a drab Friday, Rhynhart was upbeat with her lead and Parker confident in her position.

"People want a city that works here, in Philadelphia. I have the experience as well as the courage to take on the status quo to make the tough decisions," Rhynhart explained. "We need a leader that truly leads our city forward."

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"Momentum is on our side, as I’ve crossed the city, talking to voters about our message of a safer, greener, cleaner city with opportunity for all. It’s resonating with them," Parker said.

In a statement, the Gym campaign argues:

"Helen is positioned to win the mayoral race because of her unparalleled grassroots volunteer base."

In a separate statement, the Domb campaign argues, "…voters agree with Allan’s plan to deliver on community safety and fixing what’s broken."

First time candidate and grocery store owner Jeff Brown sits at 11 percent. His campaign writes, "…we plant to spend the next 19 days doing what he does best – making his case with the voters…"

The poll, paid for by the good government group the Committee of Seventy, and partners including the Chamber of Commerce, has a margin of error of 3.8 percent, with 20 percent of voters undecided. The Committee of Seventy believes ranked choice voting, in which voters rank their candidates 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, would result in a mayor with a mandate to lead. It’s why they asked for a ranking in their poll.

"80 percent of people found the ranked choice voting very easy and over half, after learning about the ranked choice voting, said they’d consider having this in Philadelphia," explained Lauren Cristella, with the Committee of Seventy.

With the election on May 16th, the campaigns will sprint to the finish with a heavy push on television ads, door knocking and sharpening their get-out-the-vote effort, focusing on voters yet to make a choice.

"I think it shows us it really is anyone’s game and people could be comfortable with a few different candidates and they are waiting to see what the consensus is," Cristella added.

Watch the full FOX 29 Mayoral debate here or on FOX 29's YouTube page, here as the original slate of candidates answer questions.

For more information, see the full polling data here