2019 Judicial Election Information

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As a part of our mission to educate the public on all Pennsylvania judicial matters, Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts monitored and provided information on judicial candidates running in the 2019 cycle. Our primary focus included, but was not limited to, Appellate Court and Court of Common Pleas candidates.

Who was on the ballot?

There were two openings for the Superior Court. Furthermore, there were three Superior Court Judges and two Commonwealth Court Judges whose terms expire in 2020.

There are 456 Common Pleas Court Judge positions in Pennsylvania. As a result of newly created judicial positions, judicial elections, and resignations, there were 42 vacancies on the Courts of Common Pleas on the ballot in 2019.

PMC tracked these and other judicial candidacies throughout the 2019 election cycle and provided news and information about them.

How are judges chosen and how should they be evaluated?

Judges must be members of the Bar of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court (except magisterial district judges, who are instead required to pass an exam). They also must be district residents for one year prior to the election.

Things to consider when evaluating candidates:

  1. Legal experience
  2. Reputation for integrity and fairness
  3. Community involvement and public service
  4. Ongoing educational and professional activities
  5. Compassion
  6. Commitment to equal justice

Where to find relevant information

  1. Ratings from the Pennsylvanian Bar Association's Judicial Evaluation Commission
  2. Philadelphia Bar Association Voter's Guide
  3. League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania
  4. Individual Candidates Websites (Many are linked below.)

Pennsylvania voter registration

Click here to register to vote in Pennsylvania.

Find your polling place

Click here to find your polling place.

 

PMC is a nonpartisan organization. The material on this website is for general education and its posting does not imply that PMC supports or opposes any candidate. As a means to set a precedent and keep things uniform across the state, we did not include candidates on this list until there was a legitimate news story about their candidacy or their campaign reached out to us directly.

The Candidates

Superior Court Candidates

Name Party Nomination Website
Amanda Green-Hawkins D Click here
Megan King R Click here
Daniel McCaffery D Click here
Christylee Peck R Click here

 

Court of Common Pleas Candidates

Name County Number of Open Seats Party Nomination Website
Mary McGinley Allegheny 1 D/R Click here
Steven Necaster Beaver 1 R Click here
Laura Tocci Beaver 1 D Click here
Brandi Hershey Bedford 1 D/R Click here
Denise Bowman Bucks 3 R Click here
Grace Deon Bucks 3 R Click here
Charissa Liller Bucks 3 D Click here
Allen Toadvine Bucks 3 R Click here
Jessica VanderKam Bucks 3 D Click here
Jordan Yeager Bucks 3 D Click here
William Robinson Butler 1 D/R  
Bret Binder Chester 2 D Click here
Andrea Cardamone Chester 2 R  
Chuck Gaza Chester 2 R  
Analisa Sondergaard Chester 2 D Click here
Sara Seidle-Patton Clarion 1 D/R Click here
Lisa Grayson Cumberland 2 D Click here
Susan Pickford Cumberland 2 I Click here
Matt Smith Cumberland 2 D/R Click here
Kirk Sohonage Cumberland 2 R Click here
George Dawson Delaware 4 R  
Kelly Eckel Delaware 4 D Click here
Steven Gerber Delaware 4 R  
Stephanie Klein Delaware 4 D Click here
Rick Lowe Delaware 4 D Click here
Beth Naughton Beck Delaware 4 R Click here
Nusrat Rashid Delaware 4 D Click here
Wendy Roberts Delaware 4 R Click here
Shawn McMahon Elk 1 D/R  
Erin Connelly Erie 2 D Click here
David Ridge Erie 2 D/R Click here
Ed Smith Erie 2 R Click here
Mary Beth Shank Franklin 1 D/R Click here
Craig Stedman Lancaster 1 R  
Anna-Kristie Morffi Marks Lehigh 1 D/R Click here
Ryan Tira Lycoming 1 D/R Click here
Ronald Amrhein Mercer 2 D/R Click here
Margaret Lucas Mercer 2 D Click here
Tedd Nesbit Mercer 2 R Click here
Dan Higgins, Jr. Monroe 1 D/R Click here
Henry Hilles, III Montgomery 3 D Click here
Matthew Hovey Montgomery 3 R Click here
Gregg Richman Montgomery 3 R  
Melissa Schwartz Sterling Montgomery 3 D Click here
Virgil Walker Montgomery 3 D Click here
Robert Zigmund Montgomery 3 R  
John Morganelli Northampton 1 D/R Click here
James Crumlish, III Philadelphia 7 D  
Crystal Powell Philadelphia 7 D Click here
Carlella Jacquinto Philadelphia 7 D Click here
Anthony Kyriakakis Philadelphia 7 D Click here
Tiffany Palmer Philadelphia 7 D Click here
Joshua Roberts Philadelphia 7 D  
Jennifer Schultz Philadelphia 7 D Click here
Kelly Gaughan Pike 1 D/R Click here
Traci McDonald Washington 1 D/R Click here
Jessica Rafferty Westmoreland 2 D Click here
Mike Stewart II Westmoreland 2 D/R Click here
Justin Walsh Westmoreland 2 R Click here
Matt Menges York 1 R Click here
Sandra Thompson York 1 D  

 

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