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Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pa. primary election 2025: The Commonwealth and Superior Court candidates advancing to November
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — The party-endorsed Republican candidate for Commonwealth Court coasted to victory in Tuesday's contested primary, while a Superior Court hopeful who didn't win the GOP nod defeated her opponent. They'll face Democrats who ran unopposed for vacancies on Pennsylvania's powerful lower appellate courts this November. Judges on the nine-member Commonwealth Court preside over civil actions brought by and against Pennsylvania state government, and hear appeals primarily in cases involving state departments and local governments. The 15 judges on Superior Court handle criminal, family, and civil cases that are appealed up from county Courts of Common Pleas. Judges on all three of Pennsylvania's statewide appellate courts — Supreme, Superior, and Commonwealth — are elected in partisan, statewide elections and serve 10-year terms. The number of terms they can serve is unlimited, though they must retire at age 75. In addition to deciding the races for one vacant seat each on Commonwealth and Superior Courts, voters this November will consider whether to give five appellate judges additional 10-year terms. That includes three state Supreme Court justices, all of whom were elected as Democrats. These yes-or-no retention elections are a high-profile target for Republicans hoping to upset a decade of Democratic control on the court. In the Republican primary for a seat on Commonwealth Court, Erie-based attorney Matthew Wolford, who specializes in environmental law, beat Berks County's Joshua Prince, who runs a law firm focused on gun legislation. The Associated Press called the race before 9 p.m. Wolford is leading with 62% of the vote, according to unofficial results. Wolford, a solo practitioner, was endorsed by the state Republican Party and was also 'highly recommended' by the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA). In its assessment, the PBA noted that Wolford has been 'litigating all aspects of environmental law,' both civilly and criminally and at trial and appellate levels, for almost four decades. Wolford is 'highly regarded for his work ethic, preparation, common sense, fairness, integrity, prompt and efficient performance and legal expertise in the environmental area,' the association wrote. In his campaign materials, Wolford described his practice as focusing partially on 'defending clients against government enforcement actions and helping clients work through complex regulatory challenges,' and partly on 'fighting for private property rights,' which includes taking on disputes over zoning and easements and with homeowners' associations. Prince, who also unsuccessfully ran for Commonwealth Court in 2023, ran a fairly tumultuous race, writing on his campaign website in early February that he would drop out after failing to secure the GOP endorsement, then reversing course nine days later. He was not recommended by the state bar association because he did not participate in its review process. Wolford will now face Democrat Stella Tsai in the general election. She has served on Philadelphia's Court of Common Pleas since 2016, and during the campaign, described her work as being across the city's criminal, civil, orphans' court, and family court divisions. Tsai, who was uncontested in the primary, was endorsed by the state Democratic Party and was rated 'highly recommended' by the PBA. The association wrote that she has 'a long and diverse legal career' with extensive trial experience in state and federal courts, and that she is respected among fellow judges and considered 'enthusiastic, hard-working and fair.' Tsai said on her campaign website that she has 'volunteered to safeguard voting rights, immigrant rights, and civil rights.' She previously served as president of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania and in various official capacities with the Pennsylvania Bar Association. In the race for the open Superior Court seat, the GOP primary was again contested, while the Democratic primary was not. Attorney Maria Battista of Clarion County won the Republican primary. The Associated Press called her victory over opponent Ann Marie Wheatcraft at 10:18 p.m. on Tuesday. Battista was leading with 56% of the vote, according to unofficial results. Battista previously served as assistant general counsel for the Pennsylvania Departments of Health and State under former Govs. Tom Corbett, a Republican, and Tom Wolf, a Democrat. She is currently president at Judge Government Services, a consulting firm, and ran unsuccessfully for Superior Court in 2023. The Pennsylvania Bar Association did not recommend Battista because she did not participate in its rating process. The Pennsylvania Republican Party endorsed Wheatcraft, not Battista. Wheatcraft has served since 2012 as a Chester County Common Pleas judge and became president judge at the beginning of this year after being selected by her colleagues on the bench. The PBA 'highly recommended' Wheatcraft for the bench, calling her 'an experienced jurist known for her high degree of professionalism, good judicial temperament, excellent character, and undisputed integrity,' and noting that she has presided over hundreds of criminal and civil cases, and jury and bench trials. The Democratic candidate in the general election will be Washington County's Brandon P. Neuman, who has served as a judge on the county's Court of Common Pleas since 2018. He was previously a member of the state House of Representatives from 2011 to 2017. As a judge, Neuman primarily presides over civil court and a veterans' specialty court, according to his campaign website, and has also presided over criminal and family law cases. Last year, Neuman handed down a notable ruling that ordered Washington County to notify voters if their mail ballots have errors that would keep them from being counted, so that those voters would be able to cast provisional ballots. He is 'highly recommended' by the Pennsylvania Bar Association, which said his 'opinions demonstrate knowledge of substantive and procedural legal issues and the ability to provide good factual backgrounds and well-developed legal arguments.' The association added that Neuman's colleagues believe he has high integrity, a good judicial temperament, and 'treats all individuals fairly,' among other positive attributes. In retention elections, voters have a yes-or-no choice: They can give a sitting judge another 10-year term or can force the judge off the court. The elections aren't partisan, and there's no opponent. If a majority of voters choose to reject a judge, the governor can appoint a temporary replacement subject to the approval of the state Senate. An election for a replacement to serve a full 10-year term is then held in the next odd year. Judges very rarely lose retention elections. The last time a judge lost retention was in 2005, amid broad frustration with state lawmakers over a pay raise scandal. However, Republicans, who have been frustrated with the Democratic-majority Supreme Court's decisions for a decade, say that a flip is within reach. Now, they're prepared for an expensive political fight. The judges up for retention on the seven-member state Supreme Court are Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht. All were elected as Democrats. All three have been involved in a slew of high-profile decisions over the past ten years. The court has overseen and intervened in the commonwealth's congressional and legislative redistricting processes; allowed a case challenging the state's education funding system to go to trial; upheld COVID-19 mediation efforts; and backstopped the state's voting laws against a barrage of conservative challenges, most notably from Donald Trump's 2020 campaign. They've also made a number of quieter moves that have inflamed opposition from business interests, including loosening restrictions on where a plaintiff can file costly malpractice lawsuits and opening the door to gig workers becoming full employees rather than independent contractors. When they run for retention, judges' campaigns are limited by the Code of Judicial Conduct. Its rules, aimed at maintaining impartiality, allow them to talk about their approach to the law, but bar them from discussing specific cases before them or definitively saying how they would rule on a given topic. The lower appellate courts also have a retention election apiece. Superior Court Judge Alice Dubow is up for retention, as is Commonwealth Court Judge Michael Wojcik. Both were elected as Democrats. If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania primary election 2025: How to vote, where to vote, and everything you need to know for May 20
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania's 2025 primary Election Day is quickly approaching. If you still have questions about where your polling place is, who is on the ballot, and how to vote, Spotlight PA has got you covered. Who is running for Harrisburg Mayor? On Tuesday, May 20, Democrats and Republicans across the commonwealth will determine which candidates go on to run in the general election. Ballots will vary depending on where voters live, and could include races for mayor, school board, city council, various judicial offices, district attorney, and more. There might also be local ballot questions. Statewide, voters will weigh in on primary candidates for Commonwealth and Superior Courts. Before you submit your ballot, here's a last-minute checklist of everything you'll need to vote. First, the basics: Make sure you're registered. You can check your voter registration status on the Pennsylvania Department of State website. Unfortunately, if you're not already registered, it's too late to vote in this election cycle. It also is too late to request a mail ballot if you haven't already. If you have, you can track your mail ballot on the Pennsylvania Department of State's election ballot status webpage. To be counted, your ballot must be received by your county election office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Read more about mail ballots and how to properly fill them out. In Pennsylvania, if you are registered as an independent or with a third party, you cannot vote for candidates in the primary election because we have a closed primary system, meaning only registered Democrats and Republicans can vote in their respective party's primary. Unaffiliated and third-party voters, however, can vote on local ballot initiatives and statewide constitutional amendments during the primary. If you plan to vote in person, you can find your polling place online. You need to bring a form of ID such as a driver's license or a passport if it's your first time voting at your polling location. You can find the full list of acceptable IDs on Pennsylvania's official election website. For general voting and election resources, check out Spotlight PA's 2025 Election Center. Still have questions? You can reach out to your county election office for answers. Find contact information for your local county on the Pennsylvania election website. Here's what you can expect to see on your ballot: What municipal races are on your ballot will depend on where you live. To see a sample ballot, search for your local county on the Pennsylvania Department of State voting and election webpage, then follow the link to your official county website, where you may be able to find one. In the race for judge on Commonwealth Court, Republicans will choose between Matthew Wolford and Joshua Prince. Meanwhile, Democrats will see only one candidate on the ballot, Stella Tsai. Read Spotlight PA's guide to these candidates to learn more about them. In the race for judge on Superior Court, Republicans will choose between Maria Battista and Ann Marie Wheatcraft. Democrats will see only one candidate, Brandon P. Neuman. Read Spotlight PA's guide to these candidates to learn more about them. Spotlight PA's Berks and State College bureaus have created candidate guides for some municipal races happening in those regions. If you live in Reading, check out our guide to city council president candidates. If you live in Centre County, check out our guide to the State College school board candidates. If you live in Pittsburgh, we have an interactive quiz for the mayoral race. Take it to find out which candidate best aligns with your values. If you have any questions or have issues finding this information, contact your local county election office for support. Also, consult our guide to vetting local and judicial candidates to help you determine which candidate is right for you. There are no statewide ballot measures this spring, but some voters may see local questions, like in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Check your county's election website or sample ballot to learn exactly which races and candidates you will be voting for. Read Spotlight PA's complete coverage, including candidate and election guides, and more, at our 2025 Election Center. A complete listing of Spotlight PA voter guides and coverage: Pa. primary election 2025: A complete guide to candidates for Commonwealth and Superior Courts Pa. primary election 2025: Everything you need to know about requesting, filling out, and returning your mail ballot Pa. primary election 2025: A guide to vetting local and judicial candidates Pa. primary election 2025: A complete guide to who is on the primary ballot, when to vote, how to vote, where to vote, casting mail ballots and more Pa. primary election 2025: Everything college students need to know about voting Pa. primary election 2025: How to serve as a poll worker on May 20 Pa. primary election 2025: A complete guide to the candidates for State College school board Pa. primary election 2025: A complete guide to Reading City Council president candidates Pa.'s independent voters are growing in number. Here's why they still can't vote in primaries. En Español: Elecciones primarias 2025 en Pa.: Cómo convertirse en trabajador electoral el 20 de mayo Elecciones primarias 2025 en Pa.: Todo lo que necesita saber sobre cómo solicitar, llenar y devolver su papeleta de voto por correo Elecciones primarias 2025 en Pa.: Una guía completa de quién está en la papeleta de las primarias, cuándo votar, cómo votar, dónde votar, emitir votos por correo y más If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
