On Tuesday, November 3, voters will decide which judicial candidates should fill the open seats on the Erie County Court of Common Pleas, as well as the Pennsylvania Supreme, Superior, and Commonwealth Courts.  The Erie County Bar Association wants the public to be aware of the facts and other informational resources before heading to the polls.

Appellate Races

For the Supreme Court, it is an unprecedented situation in which three of the seven seats are open.  Furthermore, voters are uniquely privileged not only because of the circumstances of this year’s races, but more importantly, because Pennsylvania is one of the few states that appoints its judges through popular election versus other selective processes, such as appointments.

To learn about the appellate court candidates, Results of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation commission have been published and made available to the public.  For even more information on the state’s judicial races, voters are encouraged to visit: PAVoteSmart.org.

Local Races

Two seats are to be filled at the local Common Pleas Court level, each for a 10-year term. The vacancies are the result of the retirement of Judge Ernest J. DiSantis Jr. and the impending retirement of Judge Shad Connelly at the end of this year.  The Erie Times-News has covered this race extensively, interviewing each of the three local candidates: Erin Connelly, Jamie Mead, and Joe Walsh.

Local voters will also be asked to vote “yes” or “no” regarding the retention of sitting Common Pleas Court Judges William R. Cunningham and Judge John P. Garhart for additional 10-year terms.  The Erie County Bar Association recently conducted a plebiscite (poll) of its active members asking whether they should be retained.  Judge Cunningham and Judge Garhart received 89% and 95% votes in favor of retention, respectively.

The Erie County Bar Association conducts plebiscites because it feels the public would like to know how members of the Association, who work more closely with the candidates as fellow lawyers than anyone else, would rate them as judges.