Pennsylvania held statewide elections on November 7, 2017, to fill judicial positions on the Supreme Court, Superior Court, and the Commonwealth Court, to allow judicial retention votes, and to fill numerous county, local and municipal offices.

The necessary primary elections were held in May 2017.

Special elections

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

133rd legislative district

A special election for the 133rd legislative district took place on December 5, following the death of Democratic state representative Daniel McNeill.[1]

Democrats selected McNeill's wife Jeanne McNeill as their nominee.[2] Republicans nominated David Molony and Libertarians nominated Samantha Dorney.[3]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 133 special election, 2017
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jeanne McNeill 2,302 67.43
Republican David Molony 992 29.06
Libertarian Samantha Dorney 120 3.51
Total votes 3,414 100.00
Democratic hold

197th legislative district

Democratic state representative Leslie Acosta was re-elected during the 2016 elections, but later resigned after pleading guilty to charges of embezzlement.[4] A special election for the 197th legislative district took place on March 21.

Republicans nominated Lucinda Little for the seat. Democrats originally nominated health clinic administrator Frederick Ramirez, but a Commonwealth Court ruling declared that Ramirez did not reside in the district and removed him from the ballot.[5] Democrats attempted to replace Ramirez with Philadelphia Parking Authority auditor Emilio Vazquez, but the Court ruled (and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania confirmed) that the filing deadline had passed, preventing the substitution.[6] Vazquez subsequently ran a write-in campaign, along with Green Party candidate Cheri Honkala.[7]

Following the special election, four elections officers were charged with interference after allegations of duress and voter intimidation were made.[8]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 197 special election, 2017
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Emilio Vazquez (write-in) 1,972 73.20
Green Cheri Honkala (write-in) 286 10.62
Write-in 235 8.72
Republican Lucinda Little 201 7.46
Total votes 2,694 100.00
Democratic hold

Justice of the Supreme Court

2017 Pennsylvania Supreme Court election
November 7, 2017
 
Nominee Sallie Mundy Dwayne Woodruff
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,090,485 995,540
Percentage 52.3% 47.7%
Mundy:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Woodruff:      50–60%      60–70%      80–90%
Justice before election

Sallie Mundy
Republican

 Elected Justice

Sallie Mundy
Republican

One seat was up for election after Justice Michael Eakin resigned on March 15, 2016. Republican Superior Court judge Sallie Updyke Mundy was appointed by Governor Tom Wolf to the seat vacated by Justice Eakin and was subsequently confirmed on June 27, 2016.[9] Justice Mundy ran for a full 10-year term.

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sallie Mundy (incumbent) 469,214 100.0%
Total votes 469,214 100.0%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dwayne Woodruff 633,112 100.0%
Total votes 633,112 100.0%

General election

Results

2017 Pennsylvania Supreme Court election[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sallie Updyke Mundy (incumbent) 1,090,485 52.28%
Democratic Dwayne Woodruff 995,540 47.72%
Total votes 2,086,025 100.0%
Republican hold

Judge of the Superior Court

2017 Pennsylvania Superior Court election
November 7, 2017
4 seats of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania
  Majority party Minority party
 
Candidate Maria McLaughlin
Deborah Kunselman
Carolyn Nichols
Geoff Moulton		 Mary Murray
Craig Stedman
Emil Giordano
Wade Kagarise
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 6 9
Seats won 3 1
Seat change Increase 1 Decrease 1
Popular vote 3,991,975 3,554,632
Percentage 52.16% 46.44%

Four seats of the Superior Court were up for election. Three seats were up for partisan election due to the retirement of Judge Cheryl Lynn Allen in September 2015 and the election of then-Judges Christine Donohue and David Wecht to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2015. A fourth seat became vacant due to then–Judge Sallie Mundy's elevation to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in July 2016.

In 2016, Governor Tom Wolf appointed three judges to the Superior Court, Carl Solano, Lillian Harris Ransom, and Geoffrey Moulton.[14] The appointed judges filled the vacant seats of Judge Cheryl Lynn Allen, Justice Donohue, and Justice Wecht, respectively.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Withdrawn
  • Albert Flora Jr., criminal defense attorney[16]
  • Lillian Harris Ransom, incumbent Judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania[16]

Results

Democratic primary results (vote for 4)[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Maria McLaughlin 460,250 23.30%
Democratic Carolyn Nichols 448,675 22.72%
Democratic Deborah Kunselman 432,937 21.92%
Democratic Geoffrey Moulton Jr. (incumbent) 361,547 18.31%
Democratic William Caye II 271,533 13.75%
Total votes 1,974,942 100.0%

Republican primary

Candidates

Withdrawn
  • Carl Solano, incumbent Judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania[16]

Results

Republican primary results (vote for 4)[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Craig Stedman 380,027 24.66%
Republican Emil Giordano 320,394 20.79%
Republican Wade Kagarise 317,511 20.61%
Republican Mary P. Murray 295,138 19.15%
Republican Paula A. Patrick 227,751 14.78%
Total votes 1,540,821 100.0%

Third parties

Candidates

General election

Results

2017 Pennsylvania Superior Court election (vote for 4)[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Maria McLaughlin 1,078,522 14.09%
Democratic Deborah Kunselman 1,041,965 13.61%
Democratic Carolyn Nichols 978,842 12.79%
Republican Mary Murray 918,705 12.00%
Republican Craig Stedman 914,284 11.95%
Democratic Geoffrey Moulton Jr. (incumbent) 892,646 11.66%
Republican Emil Giordano 885,996 11.58%
Republican Wade Kagarise 835,647 10.92%
Green Jules Mermelstein 106,969 1.40%
Total votes 7,653,576 100.0%
Democratic hold
Democratic hold
Democratic gain from Republican
Republican hold

Judge of the Commonwealth Court

2017 Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court election
November 7, 2017
2 seats of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
  Majority party Minority party
 
Candidate Ellen Ceisler
Irene Clark		 Christine Fizzano Cannon
Paul Lalley
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 7 2
Seats won 1 1
Seat change Steady Steady
Popular vote 1,946,679 1,905,581
Percentage 50.53% 49.47%

Two seats were up for election. Judge Bernard McGinley retired from the court on January 31, 2016,[26][27] and Judge Bonnie Brigace Leadbetter became a senior judge on January 31, 2016. Governor Tom Wolf appointed Joseph Cosgrove and Julia Hearthway to fill the vacant seats of Judge McGinley and Judge Leadbetter, respectively.[14] Incumbent Judge Joseph Cosgrove, a Democrat, ran for a full 10-year term, while Judge Julia Hearthway, a Republican, did not run for a full term, and vacated her seat on September 1, 2017.[28]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results (vote for 2)[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ellen Ceisler 280,209 24.28%
Democratic Irene Clark 237,287 20.56%
Democratic W. Timothy Barry 215,904 18.71%
Democratic Todd Eagen 180,654 15.65%
Democratic Joseph Cosgrove (incumbent) 169,869 14.72%
Democratic Bryan Barbin 70,201 6.08%
Total votes 1,154,124 100.0%

Republican primary

Candidates

Declined
  • Julia Hearthway, incumbent Judge of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania[33]

Results

Republican primary results (vote for 2)[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Paul Lalley 400,090 53.57%
Republican Christine Fizzano Cannon 346,755 46.43%
Total votes 746,845 100.0%

General election

Results

2017 Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court election (vote for 2)[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Christine Fizzano Cannon 994,163 25.81%
Democratic Ellen Ceisler 988,295 25.65%
Democratic Irene Clark 958,384 24.88%
Republican Paul Lalley 911,418 23.66%
Total votes 3,852,260 100.0%
Republican hold
Democratic hold

Judicial retention

Supreme Court

Chief Justice Thomas G. Saylor (R) Retention, 2017
Choice Votes  %
Referendum passed Yes 1,074,905 68.25
No 500,162 31.75
Total votes 1,575,067 100.00
Source: PA Department of State[13]
Justice Debra Todd (D) Retention, 2017
Choice Votes  %
Referendum passed Yes 1,121,007 70.83
No 461,751 29.17
Total votes 1,582,758 100.00
Source: PA Department of State[13]

Superior Court

Judge Jacqueline Shogan (R) Retention, 2017
Choice Votes  %
Referendum passed Yes 1,073,774 69.31
No 475,429 30.69
Total votes 1,549,203 100.00
Source: PA Department of State[13]

Mayoral elections

Pittsburgh

Lancaster

Allentown

Harrisburg

Ballot questions

Proposed Constitutional Amendment Amending the Homestead Property Tax Assessment Exclusion
Choice Votes  %
Referendum passed Yes 963,324 53.99
No 821,002 46.01
Total votes 1,784,326 100.00
Source: PA Department of State

References

  1. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (September 18, 2017). "Turzai Sets Date for Special Election to Replace McNeill". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on September 22, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  2. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (October 3, 2017). "Pa. Dems Announce Candidate for 133rd House District Special Election". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on October 9, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  3. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (December 6, 2017). "McNeill Wins Husband's Seat in Special Election". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on December 16, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  4. ↑ Sasko, Claire (December 9, 2016). "Convicted State Rep. Leslie Acosta to Resign". Philadelphia Magazine. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  5. ↑ Scolforo, Mark (February 24, 2017). "Too few flushes get legislative candidate thrown off ballot". Associated Press. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  6. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (March 13, 2017). "HD-197: Supreme Court Keeps Democratic Candidate Off the Ballot". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on March 13, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  7. ↑ Brennan, Chris (March 3, 2017). "North Philly feud costs Democrats a shot at a state House seat". Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  8. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (October 30, 2017). "Four Charged With Interference in the 197th House District Special Election". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on November 2, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  9. ↑ Mendicino, Anthony (June 28, 2016). "Sallie Updyke Mundy appointed to Pennsylvania Supreme Court". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  10. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (February 2, 2017). "PA GOP Caucus Straw Poll Results". Politics PA.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "2017 Municipal Primary Official Results". Pennsylvania Department of State.
  12. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (February 15, 2017). "Supreme Court Candidate: Dwayne Woodruff". Politics PA.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "2017 Pennsylvania Elections - Summary Results". Pennsylvania Department of State. November 7, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  14. 1 2 Field, Nick (June 14, 2016). "PA-Gov: Wolf Names Supreme Court, Other Judicial Nominees". Politics PA.
  15. ↑ Field, Nick (January 9, 2017). "Caye Announces Superior Court Candidacy". Politics PA.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Engelkemier, Paul (March 8, 2017). "Statewide Candidates Get on the Ballot". Politics PA.
  17. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (February 8, 2017). "Philly Judge McLaughlin Enters Superior Court Race". Politics PA.
  18. ↑ Field, Nick (January 12, 2017). "Trio of Superior Court Candidates Emerge". Politics PA.
  19. ↑ Stephan, Hope (January 19, 2017). "Appointed Superior Court judge launches campaign for full term". The Patriot-News.
  20. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (August 31, 2017). "Giordano endorsed by PA United Steelworkers". Politics PA.
  21. ↑ Ray, Phil (November 20, 2016). "Kagarise seeking Superior Court post". Altoona Mirror.
  22. ↑ Miller, Brittany (January 4, 2017). "Judge announces candidacy for Pa. Superior Court". The Patriot-News.
  23. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (March 7, 2017). "Superior Court Candidate: Paula Patrick". Politics PA.
  24. ↑ Robinson, Wesley (January 12, 2017). "DA Craig Stedman mulling run for state Superior Court". The Patriot-News.
  25. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (August 15, 2017). "Third Party Candidate Enters Race for Superior Court". Politics PA.
  26. ↑ "Subsequent Commissioned Judge Biographies - Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Historical Society". Archived from the original on December 7, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Kenneth Roberto v. PA State Police" (PDF). Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court. April 27, 2016.
  28. ↑ "William J. Green IV v. Thomas W. Wolf" (PDF). Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court. December 4, 2017.
  29. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (February 6, 2017). "Barbin Jumps into Commonwealth Court Race". Politics PA.
  30. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (February 10, 2017). "Judicial Hopefuls Make Last Minute Pitch Before Dems Endorsement". Politics PA.
  31. ↑ Field, Nick (January 5, 2017). "Ceisler to Seek Seat on Commonwealth Court". Politics PA.
  32. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (February 8, 2017). "Clark Tosses Hat into Commonwealth Court Race". Politics PA.
  33. 1 2 "Cosgrove seeking full term on Commonwealth Court". Times Leader. May 6, 2017.
  34. ↑ "Candidate Spotlight – Todd Eagen – Commonwealth Court". PA Dems. May 15, 2017.
  35. ↑ Engelkemier, Paul (January 27, 2017). "Delco Judge Christine Fizzano Cannon Jumps into GOP Commonwealth Court Race". Politics PA.
  36. ↑ Field, Nick (December 13, 2016). "Lalley Enters Commonwealth Court Race". Politics PA.
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