Some believe that important elections occur once every four years to elect our commander-in-chief, tuning out the local and state-level races that are equally as critical in shaping our future. After the chaos of the 2024 presidential election, it’s a safe assumption that many of our neighbors want to be removed from endless advertisements, phone calls, and door-knockers.
However, this mindset is shortsighted, especially given the slew of detrimental policies planned and executed by the Trump administration. Our local, off-year elections are equally important in shaping our day-to-day lives, and this Tuesday, Nov. 4, Pennsylvania will be holding such an election. Several Supreme Court justices are up for retention, in addition to other candidates for many of our state’s lower courts.
We urge you to head back to the polls in support of these judicial candidates and deliver Donald Trump’s administration a damning mandate.
Who is on the ballot in Pennsylvania?
This Tuesday, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania will be hosting a retention election for Democratic Justices Christine Donohue, David Wecht, and Kevin Dougherty. Critically, these judges decide the outcomes of cases related to our fundamental rights, including voting, reproductive healthcare, marriage, education, and more. For example, in 2017, Justices Donohue, Wecht, and Dougherty all voted in favor of a Delaware County school district’s challenge to Pennsylvania’s school funding system, thereby promoting equitable access to education for all young Pennsylvanians. Similarly, in 2018, they declared a GOP racially-inclined redistricting proposal as a form of unconstitutional gerrymandering, while in 2020, they made voting more accessible by allowing drop boxes for mail-in ballots.
Most recently, these justices all emphasized their support for safeguarding abortion rights, with Donohue and Dougherty even emphasizing their view that Pennsylvania’s 1971 Equal Rights Amendment clearly established a right to abortion access.
If the Penn community fails to support the retention of these Supreme Court justices, our progress in protecting fundamental civil liberties is at risk of being undermined. Currently, Democrats hold a strong 5-2 majority on Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court. However, if Justices Wecht, Donohue, and Dougherty fail to win their retention races, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro would aim to appoint a liberal replacement. This confirmation process would likely face difficulties in the Republican-controlled state Senate. This scenario could lead to indefinite vacancies on the Supreme Court, removing an essential safeguard for Pennsylvanians against the Trump administration’s policies.
Additionally, there are elections for the Commonwealth and Superior Courts. Judges Alice Beck Dubow and Michael Wojcik are up for retention. Meanwhile, Judges Brandon Neuman and Stella Tsai are running for contested seats. Brandon Neuman, a former state representative, trial attorney, and current judge on the Washington County Court of Common Pleas, is seeking election to the Pennsylvania Superior Court against right-wing prosecutor Maria Battista. The Superior Court is an intermediate appellate body with broad jurisdiction, including for criminal convictions in sexual violence cases and other serious matters. Thus, this role requires a strong and experienced advocate for the criminal justice system.
Judge Neuman, with his extensive experience in supporting victims of sexual violence, coupled with his numerous endorsements from legal and progressive advocacy groups, is the strongest option for cultivating an equitable judiciary in Pennsylvania. His opponent, Maria Battista, is far less experienced, receiving a “Not Recommended” grade from the Pennsylvania Bar Association for failing to participate in its evaluation process. Battista’s unwillingness to be vetted, combined with her support of right-wing causes, such as restricting reproductive freedom, makes her a troubling choice for the Superior Court. Further, in a post-Roe America, where women are scrutinized for prioritizing their reproductive health and personal safety, our communities require fierce advocates such as Judge Neuman, who stand firmly for liberty and justice.
The stakes are also high in the Commonwealth Court race, where Pennsylvanians must also choose between proven leadership and inexperience. Commonwealth Court judges oversee all civil cases and appeals from Pennsylvania’s state agencies and lower courts. Democrat Stella Tsai, a former Litigator and current judge on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, faces Republican Matthew Wolford, an attorney with no previous judicial experience. Wolford’s right-wing priorities of gun rights, coupled with his work with pro-oil drilling energy corporations, are inadequate in cultivating the equitable, pro-civil liberties judiciary we need.
On the other hand, Tsai’s passion for protecting immigrant, reproductive, and voting rights is exactly what Pennsylvanians need to defend themselves from the Trump administration’s destruction of immigrant communities and crackdown on civil liberties. Moreover, her promotion of integrity and transparency within our judiciary reinvigorates trust in our elected officials at a time when many of us feel hopeless and disheartened by our leaders.
To the Penn community, we recognize that many of you may feel unmotivated to vote — especially following the results of the 2024 elections. However, this is simply not the time to give up. In the past ten months, the Trump administration has threatened our liberties and weakened the institutions and protections our communities rely on.
By failing to vote in Tuesday’s election, you are surrendering an opportunity to retain and elect leaders who will protect us from these wildly detrimental actions. If we want Pennsylvania to remain a beacon of resilience and justice, we must head to the polls on Nov. 4 and make our voices heard.
Where, When, and How to vote on Nov. 4:
- Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Bring a PennCard or other identification with your name/address, especially if this is your first time voting at a polling place.
- Visit Penn Leads the Vote or PA Voter Services to find information on your specific polling location.
Penn Dems join the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and the non-partisan Pennsylvania Bar Association in urging you to vote “yes” on Nov. 4 to retain Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices Christine Donohue, David Wecht, and Kevin Dougherty. We also urge you to vote for Commonwealth and Superior Court Candidates Stella Tsai, Brandon Neuman, and to retain Alice Beck Dubow and Michael Wojcik.
THE PENN DEMOCRATS EXECUTIVE BOARD includes Eunho Jung, Tejas Bhatia, Aidan Carroll, Danielle Kanter, Kayla Mengden, Molly Lang, Ariana Bertrand, Cole Hanover, and Samara Laks. They can be reached at presidentpenndems@gmail.com.
