The next Election Day is coming up on May 16.
We know how it goes. You figure out candidates you plan to vote for and then remember you should vote for judges too, but you aren’t familiar with all of them.
Now is the time to complete your voting plan by learning about judicial candidates running for all levels of the Pennsylvania court system. Having your say in selecting state judges is more important than ever given the vulnerability of our federal civil rights protections.
Our state judges hold the promise of democracy: The Constitution of Pennsylvania has been called the most democratic constitution in the country and is broader than the U.S. Constitution.
We were also the first state to formally implement an Equal Rights Amendment:
“Equality of rights under the law shall not be abridged in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania because of the sex of the individual.”
Now let’s make a plan.
Illustration: The New Pennsylvania Project NPP can help you plan to vote, register to vote, and check your voter registration status.
The top two layers in the Pennsylvania Courts triangle represent appellate courts. Appellate court elections are statewide elections. There are several open judicial seats in our appellate courts this election:
- One open seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court
- One open seat on Commonwealth Court
- Two open seats on Superior Court
How to Find Information About Judicial Candidates
The Pennsylvania Bar Association
The nonpartisan Pennsylvania Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Commission rates all appellate court candidates on a simple scale of Highly Recommended, Recommended, and Not Recommended.
Check their 2023 ratings and recommendations here.
Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts (PMC)
Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that works to inform Pennsylvanians about our courts and how to navigate them with confidence.
PMC’s guide to the May 2023 judicial elections explains the purpose of each court, lists candidates alongside their Pennsylvania Bar Association rating, and links to the candidates’ websites, so you can review their stances on issues you think are important.
Local Judicial Elections
In addition to statewide judicial elections, there may also be judges running for a seat on your local courts. A complete judicial voting plan requires checking recommendations made by your county’s bar association to assess local judicial candidates.
Here are links to some county bar associations:
Philadelphia Bar Association recommendations
Allegheny County Bar Association recommendations
Montgomery County Bar Association recommendations
If you live in another county, please visit your county bar association’s website for information about judicial candidates running in your county.
The candidates selected in the May 16th primary will then run in the general election on November 7, 2023, giving Pennsylvanians a final say in who determines our rights and interprets our laws for the next judicial term.
Women’s Law Project is a non-profit public interest law center in Pennsylvania devoted to advancing and defending the rights of women, girls, and LGBTQ+ people in Pennsylvania and beyond.
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