Pennsylvania Bill to Convert Partisan Judicial Elections from Statewide to District

Pennsylvania elects all its appellate judges, on three different types of court, in partisan races. They are all elected statewide. That includes the State Supreme Court, the Commonwealth Court, and the Superior Court.

Representative Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon) has introduced HB 38, which would convert all those elections into partisan district races. For example, for the State Supreme Court, the state would be divided into seven districts, with each district electing its own State Supreme Court Justice. The bill has 37 co-sponsors, all Republicans. The legislature would draw the boundaries for the judicial districts. Here is the text.

Currently the State Supreme Court has five Democrats and two Republicans. If the bill passes, it would amend the State Constitution, so voters would then need to approve it. It is possible the bill will pass in time to be on the May 2021 primary ballot. Republicans have a majority in both houses of the legislature, and because HB 38 is a proposed constitutional amendment, it does not need a gubernatorial signature.

Pennsylvania appellate court judges are very partisan. Last year a Republican mid-level court voted to keep Howie Hawkins, Green Party nominee, on the ballot. Democrats, who had challenged Hawkins, then appealed to the State Supreme Court, which removed him in a partisan vote.


Comments

Pennsylvania Bill to Convert Partisan Judicial Elections from Statewide to District — 4 Comments

  1. A constitutional amendment was also introduced in New Mexico that would create districts for our five Supreme Court Justices- SJR 21. It does not mention the Court of Appeals, which is also composed of members elected statewide. I am assuming it is an attempt by the Republicans to get a seat on the Court. It is unlikely to pass.

  2. The minority rule gerrymander partisan HACKS in State legis LOVE to make more exec/judic minority rule gerrymanders — it is in their EVIL minority rule skulls.

    partisan PR – legis
    nonpartisan AppV – exec/judic
    TOTSOP

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