As the Primary Election nears, PCCJR is encouraging voters to review our 2023 PA Judicial Voter Guide before heading to the polls. This is a critical election year, the results of which will have a long-term impact on the direction of the statewide courts throughout the Commonwealth. As noted in this FiveThirtyEight article, over the past decade the cost of judicial elections has increased significantly with a growing trend of outside groups pouring money into the elections in an effort to change the political leanings of the court. In Pennsylvania, we’re already feeling the repercussions of activist judges that are attempting to legislate from the bench and expanding liability for businesses and health care providers throughout the state. That’s why your participation in the Primary Election is so important.
Before casting your vote, it’s critical that you know where the judicial candidates stand on issues before the court. As PCCJR Executive Director Curt Schroder recently noted in a Phillyburbs.com article, judicial questionnaires “can help voters make educated selections.” That’s why PCCJR’s 2023 judicial election guide includes candidate questionnaire responses for individuals seeking seats on the Commonwealth, Superior and Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania. The guide also explains the impact judicial decisions can have on Pennsylvania residents. Unfortunately not all of the candidates on the statewide ballot chose to respond. In an interview with the Pennsylvania Daily Star, Schroder pointed out that when individuals running for office decline to answer questionnaires it can leave voters in the dark. “We are left to only speculate on the positions and leanings of candidates who did not take the time to respond,” he said.