Primary Election 2015: A Recap

After months of campaigning, the primary election was held on Tuesday, May 19 and featured an abundance of candidates at the top of the ballot for three open positions on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Despite this historic number of open seats on Pennsylvania’s highest court, the turnout of registered voters throughout the state, as widely expected, was low. Based on unofficial results the average statewide turnout was approximately 15 percent.

Voters in each party also selected nominees for one vacancy on the Superior Court and Commonwealth Court respectively. The candidates in the Republican primary for Superior and Commonwealth Courts had no opposition.

The nominees for all five statewide judicial positions will face off in the November general election.

Below is a summary of the successful candidates for the five statewide appellate court positions in the Republican and Democrat primaries:

Supreme Court

  • Democrat (elect 3)
    • Christine Donohue (Superior Court judge from Allegheny County)
    • Kevin Dougherty (Court of Common Pleas judge from Philadelphia County)
    • David Wecht (Superior Court judge from Allegheny County)
  • Republican (elect 3)
    • Anne Covey (Commonwealth Court judge from Bucks County)
    • Michael George (Court of Common Pleas judge from Adams County)
    • Judith Olson (Superior Court judge from Allegheny County)

Superior Court

  • Democrat (elect 1)
    • Alice Dubow (Court of Common Pleas judge from Philadelphia County)
  • Republican (elect 1)
    • Emil Giordano (Court of Common Pleas judge from Northampton County)

Commonwealth Court

  • Democrat (elect 1)
    • Michael Wojcik (lawyer in private practice from Allegheny County)
  • Republican (elect 1)
    • Paul Lalley (a lawyer in private practice from Allegheny County)

Special Election – 5th Senatorial District

State Representative John Sabatina, Jr. won the special election in the 5th senatorial district. This vacancy was created after former Senator Mike Stack was elected as Lt. Governor and resigned his State Senate seat. The 5th Senate District is located in northeast Philadelphia.