On our May 14 episode of City Cast Philly, host Trenae Nuri spoke with Matt Olesh, the chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Campaign for Qualified Judges. To help you prepare for Pennsylvania’s primary election on May 20, they broke down the significance of Philly’s judicial races, the qualifications of those running, and the differences between the four judgeships on the ballot.
Here’s a preview of some of the key points from their conversation.
Why Do We Vote for Judges?
The Pennsylvania Constitution requires judges to be elected to their positions. While federal judges are appointed by the president, the logistics for judge selection at the state level vary. Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states that nominate judges in a partisan election, which has its pluses and minuses.
What Can You Expect on Your Ballot on May 20?
In addition to the city’s district attorney race and three ballot questions, you will see candidates for Philadelphia Municipal Court, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, and Pennsylvania Superior Court. Because Pennsylvania is a closed primary state, you can only vote for candidates within your registered party, Democrat or Republican. Unaffiliated voters cannot vote. The primary winners will be on the general election ballot in November.
For Municipal Court, there are five Democrats and zero Republicans seeking three seats. Ten Democrats and no Republicans are running for nine seats on the Court of Common Pleas. In the statewide races, one Democrat and two Republicans are looking to fill one seat on the Commonwealth Court, and an additional one Democrat and two Republicans are vying for one spot on Superior Court.
Who Does the Philadelphia Bar Association Recommend for the Job?
The Philadelphia Bar Association’s criteria for recommendations include experience, legal ability, integrity, sound judgement, and fiscal responsibility.
Given that there aren’t any Republican candidates for the city courts, the Bar’s Judicial Commission only looked at candidates in the Democratic primary. For the Court of Common Pleas, the Bar recommends all candidates except Taniesha Henry. As for Municipal Court, the Bar only recommends Amanda Davidson.
Keep an eye on this: Mike Huff was deemed ineligible to serve on either Municipal Court or Court of Common Pleas, so any votes for him will not count.
🎧 Want to hear more from this conversation? Listen to the full episode right here on City Cast Philly and learn how the Philadelphia Bar Association’s recommendations are different from a party endorsement, what the different courts do, and why the election impacts you.
