Pennsylvania intermediate appellate court elections, 2023
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The terms of two Pennsylvania intermediate appellate court judges expired on January 1, 2024. The two seats were up for retention election on November 7, 2023. The last day to file for retention was January 2, 2023.
In addition, one seat on the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court and two seats on the Pennsylvania Superior Court were up for partisan election on November 7, 2023. The primary was May 16, 2023. The filing deadline was March 7, 2023.
Vacancies
Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court
One seat on the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court was up for partisan election on November 7, 2023. The election filled the vacancy created when Judge Kevin Brobson (R) was elected to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2021.
Pennsylvania Superior Court
Two seats on the Pennsylvania Superior Court were up for partisan election on November 7, 2023. The election filled the vacancy created when Jacqueline Shogan retired from the court in 2022. It also filled the vacancy that Judge John T. Bender created when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 in November 2023.
Candidates and election results
Commonwealth Court
General election
General election for Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court
Matt Wolf defeated Megan Martin in the general election for Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Matt Wolf (D) | 52.5 | 1,602,116 |
![]() | Megan Martin (R) | 47.5 | 1,452,330 |
Total votes: 3,054,446 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court
Matt Wolf defeated Bryan Neft in the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court on May 16, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Matt Wolf | 57.2 | 577,470 |
![]() | Bryan Neft ![]() | 42.8 | 431,595 |
Total votes: 1,009,065 | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court
Megan Martin defeated Joshua Prince in the Republican primary for Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court on May 16, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Megan Martin | 63.0 | 501,693 |
![]() | Joshua Prince ![]() | 37.0 | 294,979 |
Total votes: 796,672 | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Harry Smail Jr. (R)
Superior court
General election
General election for Pennsylvania Superior Court (2 seats)
Jill Beck and Timika Lane defeated Maria Battista and Harry Smail Jr. in the general election for Pennsylvania Superior Court on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Jill Beck (D) | 28.0 | 1,572,023 | |
✔ | ![]() | Timika Lane (D) | 25.5 | 1,431,550 |
![]() | Maria Battista (R) | 24.1 | 1,353,555 | |
![]() | Harry Smail Jr. (R) | 22.3 | 1,251,817 |
Total votes: 5,608,945 | ||||
![]() | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Pennsylvania Superior Court (2 seats)
Jill Beck and Timika Lane defeated Patrick F. Dugan in the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania Superior Court on May 16, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Jill Beck | 40.3 | 694,115 | |
✔ | ![]() | Timika Lane | 37.9 | 653,020 |
![]() | Patrick F. Dugan | 21.7 | 373,619 |
Total votes: 1,720,754 | ||||
![]() | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Pennsylvania Superior Court (2 seats)
Maria Battista and Harry Smail Jr. advanced from the Republican primary for Pennsylvania Superior Court on May 16, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Maria Battista | 52.9 | 626,159 |
✔ | ![]() | Harry Smail Jr. | 47.1 | 557,707 |
Total votes: 1,183,866 | ||||
![]() | ||||
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Panella's seat
Pennsylvania Superior Court
Jack Panella was retained to the Pennsylvania Superior Court on November 7, 2023 with 67.1% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
✔ | Yes |
67.1
|
1,744,677 | ||
No |
32.9
|
854,362 | |||
Total Votes |
2,599,039 |
|
Stabile's seat
Pennsylvania Superior Court
Vic Stabile was retained to the Pennsylvania Superior Court on November 7, 2023 with 61.1% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
✔ | Yes |
61.1
|
1,553,245 | ||
No |
38.9
|
988,211 | |||
Total Votes |
2,541,456 |
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Voting information
- See also: Voting in Pennsylvania
Commonwealth Court selection
The nine judges of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court are selected in partisan elections.[1]
Judges serve 10-year terms, after which they must run in yes-no retention elections if they wish to remain on the court. A separate part of the ballot is designated for these elections, and judges' names appear without respect to party affiliation.[1][2] To learn more about these elections, visit the Pennsylvania judicial elections page.
Qualifications
To serve on the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court a judge must:
- have state residence for at least one year;
- be a member of the state bar; and
- be under the age of 75.[1][3]
President judge
The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court selects its president judge by peer vote. The president serves in that capacity for five years.[1][4]
Vacancies
In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a successor who must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Pennsylvania Senate. Interim judges stand for election at the next municipal election occurring more than 10 months after the vacancy occurred.[1]
By tradition, appointed interim judges of the supreme court, superior court, or court of appeals do not go on to run for permanent seats. In other words, the governor appoints these judges with the expectation that the judge will only fill the interim vacancy.[1]
Superior Court selection
The 15 judges of the Pennsylvania Superior Court are selected in partisan elections.[1]
Judges serve 10-year terms, after which they must run in yes-no retention elections if they wish to remain on the court. A separate part of the ballot is designated for these elections, and judges' names appear without respect to party affiliation.[1][2] To learn more about these elections, visit the Pennsylvania judicial elections page.
Qualifications
To serve on the Pennsylvania Superior Court, a judge must:
- have state residence for at least one year;
- be a member of the state bar; and
- be under the age of 75.[1][3]
President judge
The Pennsylvania Superior Court selects its president judge by peer vote. The president serves in that capacity for five years.[1][4]
Vacancies
In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a successor who must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Pennsylvania Senate. Interim judges stand for election at the next municipal election occurring more than 10 months after the vacancy occurred.[1]
By tradition, appointed interim judges of the supreme court, superior court, or court of appeals do not go on to run for permanent seats. In other words, the governor appoints these judges with the expectation that the judge will only fill the interim vacancy.[1]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Pennsylvania," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, "In Re: Nomination Papers of Marakay Rogers, Christina Valente and Carl J. Romanelli," November 7, 2006
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 2018 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, "Title 42, Chapter 33, Section 3351," accessed August 25, 2020
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Pennsylvania Code, "Chapter 7. Assignment of Judges," accessed September 3, 2014
Federal courts:
Third Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania
State courts:
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania Superior Court • Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court • Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas • Pennsylvania Magisterial Districts
State resources:
Courts in Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania judicial elections • Judicial selection in Pennsylvania
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