What would you ask Philly’s 2023 gov candidates about growing an inclusive innovation economy?

Even before the 2022 general elections were called, Philly civic leaders were throwing their metaphorical hats in the ring to become mayor in … 2024.

Thus, with a year left in Jim Kenney’s tenure, we’re already wondering: How will the next mayor impact the city’s tech and business community?

That’s where the Lenfest Institute for Journalism’s Every Voice, Every Vote initiative comes in. Through this philanthropy-funded initiative, more than 50 local newsrooms and community organizations — including Technical.ly — will launch civic projects aimed at informing and engaging voters ahead of Philadelphia’s 2023 elections.

For our part, Technical.ly will engage a range of Philadelphians to develop a community-informed questionnaire, to be sent to both mayoral candidates and City Council at-large candidates ahead of the May primary and November general elections. This questionnaire will focus on skills for economic opportunity that support inclusive entrepreneurship and an equitable workforce of the future — topics Technical.ly has covered extensively.

We certainly have ideas for what questions we could ask those candidates, drawing from our years of probing everyone from mayors to US Senators for their policies related to tech, workforce development and entrepreneurship. But we want to hear what you want to hear from your would-be local officials.

Tell us: When it comes to growing an inclusive innovation economy, what do you need to know about your 2023 mayoral and City Council at-large candidates to make an informed vote?

Fill out our form embedded above by Wednesday, Feb. 1. We’ll sift through the responses and come up with five per office to send to the candidates by April, then publish their responses about a month before the primary. Later in the spring, look, too, for a video explainer from a local influencer about one of the topics addressed in the questionnaire.

Philly is your city, and at least one of these candidates will end up working for you. Help us hold them accountable.