Pa. Election Day 2009

I’m sure many of the Democrats listed below are fine people and I understand that maybe some of the Republicans may not be, but I’m touching the GOP party-line button. Gotta love the hope and change.

Tomorrow is Election Day and while the races are not high-profile they are still important.

Perhaps the most so is the battle to fill the state Supreme Court seat being vacated by Jane Cutler Greenspan who was appointed to complete the term of the late Chief Justice Ralph Cappy after he retired last year. She had agreed not to seek a full 10-year term.

The race is between Joan Orie Melvin, a Republican from Pittsburgh, and Jack Panella, a Democrat from Bethlehem. Both are sitting Superior Court judges. While judges are supposed to be non-partisan, the winner will provide a one-vote majority on the court to his or her respective party.

And for state Superior Court — the 15-member body which is the first stop for most appeals for criminal and civil cases from the county-based Courts of Common Pleas — nine candidates are chasing four seats. The candidates are Republicans Sallie Mundy, Paula Ott, Judy Olson and Temp Smith; Democrats Anne E. Lazarus, Robert J. Colville, Kevin Frances McCarthy and Theresa Samina; and Libertarian Marakay J. Rogers. The term is for 10 years.

For state Commonwealth Courth — the nine-member body that handles appeals regarding matters involving state and local government and regulatory agencies — Republicans Patricia A. McCullough and Kevin Brobson, and Democrats Linda S. Judson and Barbara Behrend Ernsberger are chasing two seats. The term is for 10 years.

Seeking election to a 10-year term on Delaware County Common Pleas Court are Republican Linda Cartisano and Democrat Nancy Rhoads Koons.

And after the 10 years are up, the judge does not stand for contested election but for a retention vote in which the only options are yes and no.

Standing for retention elections this year are Superior Court Judge Kate Ford Elliott and Commonwealth Court Judge Dan Pellegrini.

The only contested Magisterial District Court race in Delaware County is in District 32-1-31 in Eddystone Borough between Republican Philip Turner Jr. and Democrat Alan Davis.

County Races

Four persons are seeking two seats on County Council — Democrats Keith Collins and Nancy Baulis, and Republicans Jack Whelan and Mario J. Civera.

Joseph McGinn, Edward O’Lone and Hugh Donaghue are not contested for the offices of Sheriff, Controller and Register of Wills, respectively.

Springfield Races

Domenic Bentivegna, Region 1; Theresa Carlson, Region 2; Douglas E. Carney, Region 3; Keith R. Black, Region 4; and Donald L. Heller, Region 8; are uncontested for seats on the Springfield School Board.

For Springfield Commissioner, however, Republican Gina Sage faces Democrat Larry Healy in Ward 2; Republican Paul Wechsler faces
Democrat Scott Newman in Ward 4; and Republican James J. Devenney faces Democrat Michael Kellar in Ward 6.

Running uncontested for Auditor is Republican James T. Delizzio; Constable, Republican Christpher Eiserman and cross-filed Shawn Riley; and Treasurer cross-filed Margaret A. Young.

A good source for more details and other races is the League of Women Voters of Delaware County’s Smartvoter.org.

The local races can be followed online at this page on the county’s website.

The state races can be followed at this page at the Pennsylvania Department of State’s website.

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