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Pennsylvania Decides
Your Guide to Pennsylvania’s Statewide Judicial Races on the Nov. 4 Ballot
Supreme Court
Christine Donohue
What is a retention election?
Judges in the Supreme, Superior, and Commonwealth Courts serve 10-year terms. To continue serving, they must win a retention election, where voters decide yes or no on whether to keep the judge in their position. A YES vote means the judge stays in their seat; a NO vote means the judge loses their seat, which would lead to an open election in 2027.
- Current Justice on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and former elected member of the Superior Court
- Has ruled in favor of abortion rights
- Recommended for retention by the Pennsylvania Bar Association
ABORTION: In a 2024 Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision, Justice Donohue wrote that “the Pennsylvania Constitution secures the fundamental right to reproductive autonomy, which includes the right to decide whether to have an abortion or carry a pregnancy to term.” In a 3-2 decision, Donohue sided with the majority in ordering the lower courts to reconsider the constitutionality of barring most Medicaid recipients from receiving abortion care. The president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America described the decision as a “landmark victory for reproductive freedom.”
DEMOCRACY: Justice Donohue sided with the League of Women Voters and Pennsylvania voters, ruling that the congressional maps drawn by the state legislature in 2011 were unconstitutional because they were gerrymandered to dilute Democratic votes. Justice Donohue also ruled in favor of requiring counties to count provisional ballots cast by voters who make errors on their mail-in ballots.
EDUCATION: Justice Donohue sided with six Pennsylvania school districts, the Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools, the NAACP of Pennsylvania, and public school parents in a decision that determined the state’s system of funding schools was unconstitutional because it unfairly disadvantaged lower-income districts.
- Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates
- Pennsylvania State Education Association
- Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses & Allied Professionals
- EMILYs List
- Iron Workers Local Union No. 3
- Laborers' District Council of Western PA
- PA AFL-CIO
- IBEW
- Conservation Voters of PA
- Pennsylvania Democratic Party
David Wecht
What is a retention election?
Judges in the Supreme, Superior, and Commonwealth Courts serve 10-year terms. To continue serving, they must win a retention election, where voters decide yes or no on whether to keep the judge in their position. A YES vote means the judge stays in their seat; a NO vote means the judge loses their seat, which would lead to an open election in 2027.
- Current Justice on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court
- Has ruled in favor of abortion rights
- Recommended for retention by the Pennsylvania Bar Association
ABORTION: In 2024, Justice Wecht sided with the majority in a decision that Planned Parenthood called a “landmark victory for reproductive freedom.” The decision ordered the lower courts to reconsider the constitutionality of barring most Medicaid recipients from receiving abortion care. In a concurring opinion, Wecht wrote, “…the Pennsylvania Constitution’s [Equal Rights Amendment] did away with the antiquated and misogynistic notion that a woman has no say over what happens to her own body.”
DEMOCRACY: Justice Wecht sided with the League of Women Voters and Pennsylvania voters, ruling that the congressional maps drawn by the state legislature in 2011 were unconstitutional because they were gerrymandered to dilute Democratic votes.
EDUCATION: Justice Wecht sided with six Pennsylvania school districts, the Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools, the NAACP of Pennsylvania, and public school parents in a decision that determined the state’s system of funding schools was unconstitutional because it unfairly disadvantaged lower-income districts.
- Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates
- IBEW
- Iron Workers Local 3
- Teamsters Local 205
- PA AFL-CIO
- Nurses for America
- Conservation Voters of PA
- Pennsylvania Democratic Party
Kevin Dougherty
What is a retention election?
Judges in the Supreme, Superior, and Commonwealth Courts serve 10-year terms. To continue serving, they must win a retention election, where voters decide yes or no on whether to keep the judge in their position. A YES vote means the judge stays in their seat; a NO vote means the judge loses their seat, which would lead to an open election in 2027.
- Current Justice on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court
- Has ruled in favor of abortion rights
- Recommended for retention by the Pennsylvania Bar Association
ABORTION: In 2024, Justice Dougherty sided with the majority in a decision that Planned Parenthood called a “landmark victory for reproductive freedom.” The decision ordered the lower courts to reconsider the constitutionality of barring most Medicaid recipients from receiving abortion care.
DEMOCRACY: Justice Dougherty sided with the League of Women Voters and Pennsylvania voters, ruling that the congressional maps drawn by the state legislature in 2011 were unconstitutional because they were gerrymandered to dilute Democratic votes. He also agreed that counties should count provisional ballots cast by voters who make errors on their mail-in ballots.
EDUCATION: Justice Dougherty sided with six Pennsylvania school districts, the Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools, the NAACP of Pennsylvania, and public school parents in a decision that determined the state’s system of funding schools was unconstitutional because it unfairly disadvantaged lower-income districts.
- Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates
- Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
- Conservation Voters of PA
- Pennsylvania Democratic Party
Superior Court
Brandon Neuman v. Maria Battista
What is a constested election?
A contested election means no judge currently holds the position for which the candidates are running. Voters select one candidate in these races, just like they would for other statewide races, like the Governor.
Brandon Neuman
- Currently serves as a judge on the Washington County Court of Common Pleas
- As a former state representative, he voted to protect abortion access
- “Highly recommended” by the Pennsylvania Bar Association
Maria Battista
- Former Assistant District Attorney, no previous judicial experience
- Recommended by the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, which advocates for restricting abortion access
Brandon Neuman
Judge Brandon Neuman currently serves on the Washington County Court of Common Pleas. Before becoming a judge, he served four terms in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and was a trial lawyer. As a State Representative, Judge Neuman voted to protect abortion access by opposing a bill that would have criminalized one of the most commonly performed surgical abortion procedures. Neuman is “highly recommended” by the Pennsylvania Bar Association, which wrote: “Based on [Neuman’s] experience as a practicing attorney, his service in the House of Representatives and his diversified experience as a Common Pleas judge, the commission highly recommends the candidate for election to the Superior Court.”
Maria Battista
Maria Battista is currently the president of a consulting firm. She previously served as assistant general counsel for the Pennsylvania Department of Health and State, and was a prosecutor in Frankly and Venango Counties. She unsuccessfully ran for a Superior Court seat in 2023. Battista has been recommended by the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, a group that aims to restrict abortion access. She has described her judicial philosophy as most closely aligned with former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Battista was not recommended by the Pennsylvania Bar Association because she did not participate in their endorsement process.
Brandon Neuman
- Pennsylvania State Troopers Association
- Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
- IBEW
- Teamsters Local 249
- Pennsylvania State Education Association
- AFSCME Council 13
- Pennsylvania Democratic Party
Maria Battista
- Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation
- Conservative Latinos PA
- Firearm Owners Against Crime
- Republican National Hispanic Assembly
- Republican Party of Pennsylvania
Alice Dubow
What is a retention election?
Judges in the Supreme, Superior, and Commonwealth Courts serve 10-year terms. To continue serving, they must win a retention election, where voters decide yes or no on whether to keep the judge in their position. A YES vote means the judge stays in their seat; a NO vote means the judge loses their seat, which would lead to an open election in 2027.
- Current Judge on the Superior Court
- Recommended for retention by the Pennsylvania Bar Association
Judge Dubow currently serves on the Superior Court and is up for retention this fall. Before joining the court, she served on the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia County. The Pennsylvania Bar Association recommended Judge Dubow for retention, saying, “She is recognized for her excellent judicial temperament, being well prepared and showing respect and fairness toward lawyers who appear before her. The candidate’s opinions are thorough, thoughtful, well-reasoned, and well-researched…Judge Dubow has clearly demonstrated all the qualities necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of an appellate judge.”
- Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates
- Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania
- Democratic Jewish Outreach PA
- Pennsylvania Democratic Party
Commonwealth Court
Stella Tsai v. Matthew Wolford
What is a constested election?
A contested election means no judge currently holds the position for which the candidates are running. Voters select one candidate in these races, just like they would for other statewide races, like the Governor.
Stella Tsai
- Currently serves as a Judge on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
- Recommended by Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates
- “Highly recommended” by the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Philadelphia Bar Association
Matthew Wolford
- Small business owner and lawyer, no judicial experience
- Recommended by the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, which advocates for restricting abortion access
- “Highly recommended” by the Pennsylvania Bar Association
Stella Tsai
Judge Stella Tsai currently serves as a Judge on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Judge Tsai describes her legal approach as “rooted in integrity, transparency, consistency, and empathy.”
Matthew Wolford
Wolford is a small business owner and lawyer. He has been recommended by the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, which advocates for restricting abortion access. Wolford describes his judicial philosophy as, “Serve with integrity, fairness, and respect for those appearing in court; pursue justice in every case.”
Stella Tsai
- Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates
- Philadelphia AFL-CIO
- Pennsylvania State Education Association PAC
- Pennsylvania Democratic Party
Matthew Wolford
- Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation
- Republican Party of Pennsylvania
- Gun Owners of America
Michael Wojcik
What is a retention election?
Judges in the Supreme, Superior, and Commonwealth Courts serve 10-year terms. To continue serving, they must win a retention election, where voters decide yes or no on whether to keep the judge in their position. A YES vote means the judge stays in their seat; a NO vote means the judge loses their seat, which would lead to an open election in 2027.
- Currently serves as a Judge on the Commonwealth Court
- Recommended for retention by the Pennsylvania Bar Association
Judge Wojcik currently serves as a Judge on the Commonwealth Court. Before being elected, he was a practicing lawyer and served as Allegheny County Solicitor. In their recommendation of him, the Pennsylvania Bar Association describes Judge Wojcik as “…intelligent, fair-minded, and objective…admired by his colleagues and the attorneys who appear before him.”
- Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania
- Democratic Jewish Outreach PA
- Pennsylvania Democratic Party
How to Vote in the Nov. 4 Election
Ready to vote? In Pennsylvania, you have many options to make your voice heard.
This guide has been sourced from news coverage, the candidates’ websites, endorsement questionnaires, and other publicly available information. The sources we used to compile the guide are available upon request. We encourage you to also do your own research to determine each candidate’s qualifications for office.