PA's got an open state Supreme Court seat…and no, Judge Judy isn't on the ballot. 😆
The Keystone State's seven Supreme Court justices make the final decisions in Pennsylvania’s laws and Constitution. 👩⚖️⚖️ State Supreme Courts have power over many areas of the average person's life. They can slap fines on misbehaving corporations and set the funding of major state programs like education. State Supreme Courts also have a huge impact on environmental issues, abortion rights, and gun safety measures.
In other words, whoever sits in these seats is a big deal for your family and your paycheck. 💸
Here’s Five Fast Facts about the upcoming judicial election in PA:
- 🗳️ What Are The Odds - PA's judicial elections occur in odd-numbered years and each position comes with a 10-year term. Each justice may hold an unlimited number of terms until they reach the mandatory retirement age of 75.
- 🔦 Passing the Torch - The current PA Supreme Court justice seat is open due to the death of Chief Justice Max Baer. He passed away just months before the mandatory retirement age.
- 📋 The Current Lineup - The court currently has four Democrat justices and two Republicans.
- 👨🏻⚖️💙 Team Blue - The two Democrats up for the position are Deborah Kunselman and Daniel McCaffrey. Kunselman is a Notre Dame law school grad and worked as a civil litigator for 13 years. She was also the first woman elected as a Beaver County judge in 2005. Daniel McCaffrey was elected to a 10-year term on the state Superior Court in 2019. He's a former Philly assistant district attorney and also held a Common Pleas Court judge position in the city.
- 🧑🏾⚖️❤️ Team Red - The two Republican candidates are Carolyn Carluccio and Patricia McCullough. Carluccio is the president judge of Montgomery County Court, a former federal prosecutor, and chief public defender of Montgomery County. McCullough is a judge of the PA Commonwealth Court. She had a private law practice from 1991 to 2004, was appointed to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in 2005, and was Executive Director of the Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Pittsburgh for two years.
🔥Bottom line: Even though the PA 2023 general election isn't getting as much attention as the 2022 races for governor and senator, it's still worth participating in. Like we said, whoever holds a position in the state Supreme Court has the power to make changes you could be feeling in your pockets. Don't forget…if you don't vote, you can't complain!
Will you be voting in the PA 2023 general election?
Let us know by connecting with us on Facebook and Instagram! Also, remember to share this newsletter with your friends & coworkers!
Btw, If you’ve read this far and haven’t yet signed up for the weekly Paycheckology newsletter, CLICK HERE!
