{"id":135991,"date":"2025-10-28T15:44:05","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T23:44:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/10\/28\/the-most-important-election-no-ones-talking-about\/"},"modified":"2025-10-28T15:44:05","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T23:44:05","slug":"the-most-important-election-no-ones-talking-about","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/10\/28\/the-most-important-election-no-ones-talking-about\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most Important Election No One\u2019s Talking About"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"610\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Election_Day_18.jpg?resize=610%2C400&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-73273\" title=\"\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Imagine an election whose outcome doesn\u2019t just determine the next two years, but the next decade. One where not just voting rights, reproductive rights, and civil rights \u2014 but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=w3zbSg5hnNA&amp;t=279s\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">democracy itself<\/a> \u2014 is on the line, and candidates\u2019 rulings have implications for the next several election cycles, and the state\u2019s once-in-a-decade census and redistricting. One with notoriously <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pghcitypaper.com\/topic\/election\/deceptive-ads-and-low-turnout-mean-high-stakes-for-pa-supreme-court-justices-up-for-retention\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">low turnout<\/a>, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=w3zbSg5hnNA&amp;t=279s\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">historically high stakes<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Unless you live in <a href=\"https:\/\/boltsmag.org\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-elections-2025\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Pennsylvania<\/a> (and even if you do), you may not know a judicial election is happening right now. Alongside other critical races in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2025\/10\/23\/abigail-spanberger-leads-virginia-governor-race-poll\/86849137007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Virginia<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rutgers.edu\/news\/sherrill-and-ciattarelli-are-close-race-new-jersey-governor-half-voters-saying-trump-major\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">New Jersey<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/story\/2025-10-22\/voter-turnout-exceeds-expectations-in-proposition-50-special-election\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">California<\/a>, voters head to the polls through November 4, 2025. Off-year elections are typically sleepy affairs. But before we approach the sexier midterm elections in 2026, we must ensure three Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/courts\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-justices\/justice-kevin-m-dougherty\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Kevin Dougherty<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/courts\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-justices\/justice-christine-donohue\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Christine Donohue<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/courts\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-justices\/justice-david-n-wecht\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">David Wecht<\/a> \u2014 are retained for <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/45bc0f9e9a1e47fcbb6d31855181a11a\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">another<\/a> 10-year term, especially since election matters will come before their court in 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/boltsmag.org\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-elections-2025\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Retention<\/a> is reelection for a second 10-year term: but, rather than face Republican opponents, voters vote \u201cyes\u201d to keep judges on the bench if they upheld their oaths and fairly, impartially interpreted the Constitution. Judges are <a href=\"https:\/\/boltsmag.org\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-elections-2025\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">typically retained<\/a>, mostly because voters don\u2019t know who they are or why they\u2019d vote \u201cno.\u201d But these are also low-information elections, and judicial races are on the back of Pennsylvanians\u2019 ballots, meaning eligible voters might not vote at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve endured nearly a year of federal abuses of power \u2014 from the <a href=\"https:\/\/americanoversight.org\/investigation\/the-trump-administrations-dismantling-of-federal-agencies-and-threats-to-important-social-services\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">dismantling of federal agencies<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/magazine\/2025\/08\/28\/trump-revenge-tour-weaponize-government-column-00529277\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">weaponizing the Justice Department<\/a> against perceived enemies \u2014 in part because too many people didn\u2019t vote in 2024. Now, everything we care about is on the ballot <em>again<\/em> this fall, with greater urgency. Voters have another opportunity to get this right. Whether you care about voting rights, reproductive rights, the environment, or public education \u2014 the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, like other state courts, is the backstop for democracy, and a bulwark against autocracy and federal overreach.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Pennsylvania\u2019s Supreme Court has the final say on Pennsylvania law. So, here are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlightpa.org\/news\/2025\/10\/urban-pennsylvania-supreme-court-judges-retention-elections-public-safety-health-elections\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a few areas<\/a> where the justices have vindicated Pennsylvanians\u2019 rights over the past 10 years.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Voting Rights<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Justices <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesa.fm\/politics-government\/2025-09-06\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-judicial-retention-elections-voting-cases-rulings?fbclid=IwY2xjawM8JjxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHhq2R3SN1DcaiAsvsxKQXzMhc1MZiOxVeoEyVuRIG_ybRGNlHSDopsearB-Z_aem_iqGxjRISAvFLBGtFXBYZKg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">strengthened voting rights<\/a> across Pennsylvania by protecting mail-in voting and drop boxes \u2014 including during the COVID-19 pandemic \u2014 and ensuring ballots cannot be discarded due to signature mismatch or slow mail service. Voters are literally voting for the judges who decide whether their votes count.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Partisan <a href=\"https:\/\/www.americanprogress.org\/article\/trump-ordered-texas-to-gerrymander-5-new-republican-leaning-congressional-districts-this-is-how-other-states-can-fight-back\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">gerrymandering<\/a> is in the news now: Pennsylvanians fought this nearly a decade ago. Back in 2018, Pennsylvania had the most gerrymandered congressional map in the country: the delegation had 13 Republicans and just five Democrats, even though Pennsylvania had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pa.gov\/content\/dam\/copapwp-pagov\/en\/dos\/resources\/voting-and-elections\/voting-and-election-statistics\/voter-registration-statistics\/2018-Primary-VR-Stats.pdf#:~:text=Wayne%209%2C634%2017%2C889%2070%20194,3%2C227%2C611%2011%2C548%2044%2C399%201%2C133%2C582%208%2C460%2C068\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">nearly 1 million more registered Democrats<\/a>. As many as 1 million Pennsylvanians\u2019 voices did not count. Beyond that, some districts were barely contiguous: Republicans\u2019 brazen map-drawing efforts created GOP-held districts where as little as a <em>parking lot<\/em> connected parts of the district. One well-known example is a district <a href=\"https:\/\/whyy.org\/segments\/touring-pa-s-7th-congressional-district-one-nations-gerrymandered\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">resembling Goofy kicking Donald Duck<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesa.fm\/politics-government\/2025-09-10\/pa-supreme-court-redistricting-wecht\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">obscenely gerrymandered map<\/a> unconstitutional: Pennsylvania went from the most gerrymandered map in the U.S., to the fairest. The new map had nine Democrats and nine Republicans (Democrats have since lost one seat): this ruling is the reason Congresswomen Madeleine Dean and Mary Gay Scanlon represent Montgomery County. Judicial elections have consequences far beyond one race or election year: judges\u2019 rulings have decades-long implications for fair and equal representation, and whether the rights guaranteed in theory by our Constitution can be realized in practice.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Free and fair elections are on the line: this election could determine the outcomes of the 2026 midterm elections, 2028 presidential election, and 2030 census and redistricting. Election integrity is a state issue: voting rights will come before the court in 2026 and 2028. Republicans are warming up for 2026 by <a href=\"https:\/\/whyy.org\/articles\/pennsylvania-election-lawsuits-bucks-chester-delaware-counties\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">challenging voting laws<\/a> across Pennsylvania, and nationwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Judicial elections don\u2019t just affect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/learn\/how-judges-are-elected\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Pennsylvania<\/a>: dozens of states <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brennancenter.org\/our-work\/analysis-opinion\/judicial-selection-significant-figures\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">elect some judges<\/a>. Just last year, North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs\u2019 election <a href=\"https:\/\/statecourtreport.org\/our-work\/analysis-opinion\/griffin-concedes-riggs-ending-six-month-dispute-over-north-carolina\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">extended <em>six months<\/em><\/a> beyond Election Day due to Republican lawsuits. And we\u2019re all affected by the makeup of Congress \u2014 it\u2019s why Texas, California, and other states are gerrymandering right now, trying to offset each other. Frankly, whether Pennsylvania\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/penncapital-star.com\/2025\/03\/26\/repub\/emilys-list-sets-ambitious-course-to-flip-u-s-house-in-2026\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">four flippable congressional districts<\/a> are competitive in 2026 \u2014 and whether every voter\u2019s ballot <em>counts<\/em> \u2014 starts with ensuring Pennsylvania has a Democratic Supreme Court to uphold the rule of law if those elections are challenged in court.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Reproductive Rights<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Even after the U.S. Supreme Court gutted <em>Roe v. Wade<\/em>, Pennsylvanians still have a constitutionally protected right to abortion. In <a href=\"https:\/\/statecourtreport.org\/our-work\/analysis-opinion\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-ruling-overturns-decades-old-precedent\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Allegheny Health<\/em><\/a>, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that the use of state Medicaid funds to cover men\u2019s health services, but not women\u2019s reproductive health services, was unconstitutional sex discrimination, pursuant to Pennsylvania\u2019s Equal Rights Amendment.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Environment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Pennsylvania Constitution, unlike the U.S. Constitution, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legis.state.pa.us\/WU01\/LI\/LI\/CT\/HTM\/00\/00.001.027.000..HTM\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">guarantees an environmental right<\/a>. Pennsylvanians have <em>more<\/em> rights than the federal Constitution affords. But ensuring clean air and clean water rests upon having justices to safeguard them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Public Education<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Pennsylvania\u2019s Supreme Court safeguarded Pennsylvanians\u2019 right to a free and fair public education. A 2023 ruling held Pennsylvania\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edweek.org\/policy-politics\/pennsylvania-school-funding-is-unconstitutional-judge-says-heres-what-could-happen-next\/2023\/02\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">school funding system unconstitutional<\/a> and affirmed the constitutional right to a quality public education, regardless of zip code. Despite the <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-education-department-shutdown-b1d25a2e1bdcd24cfde8ad8b655b9843\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">dismantling<\/a> of the U.S. Department of Education, Democratic justices can deflect federal assaults on public education.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>What happens <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesa.fm\/politics-government\/2025-10-20\/pa-supreme-court-wecht-retention\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">if the justices are not retained<\/a>? Pennsylvania currently has a 5-2 majority Democrat Supreme Court. If three justices aren\u2019t retained, the court will remain 2-2 until at least 2027. The court\u2019s work, and justice, will grind to a halt. That\u2019s because, while the state\u2019s Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro, can appoint new nominees, they need to be confirmed by the Senate. Pennsylvania\u2019s Republican-held Senate, which has <a href=\"https:\/\/penncapital-star.com\/government-politics\/senate-republican-budget-plan-draws-criticism-from-democrats-as-unserious\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">refused to pass a state budget<\/a> for more than 100 days to prevent Democratic strongholds from receiving <a href=\"https:\/\/whyy.org\/articles\/pennsylvania-senate-republicans-transportation-budget-septa-funding\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">public transportation funding<\/a>, will not confirm those nominees.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Slow justice is no justice. As we\u2019ve observed in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/legal\/government\/us-judiciary-begins-furloughing-employees-during-government-shutdown-2025-10-20\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">federal courts<\/a> since the government shutdown, we can expect similar, magnified effects if Pennsylvania\u2019s Supreme Court loses <em>three of its seven justices<\/em> for <em>two whole years. <\/em>Republicans are trying to defang the courts for ruling against their perceived interests (and in favor of democracy and expanded rights for Pennsylvanians) over the past decade.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We should care as much about who judges are as people as we do about their rulings. Judges\u2019 lived experiences influence their decision-making, often leading to better, fairer outcomes for litigants. Impartial justice doesn\u2019t mean indifference.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>So, who are these jurists? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/courts\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-justices\/justice-kevin-m-dougherty\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Justice Dougherty<\/a> began his judicial career in family court, where he spearheaded an innovative, statewide <a href=\"https:\/\/retaindougherty.com\/autism-and-the-courts-initiative\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Autism and the Courts initiative<\/a>, as well as a diversion program so fewer children\u2019s futures were derailed by criminal records. His colleague <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/courts\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-justices\/justice-christine-donohue\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Justice Donohue<\/a> is the daughter of a coal miner and a seamstress, and the first Pennsylvania state Supreme Court justice with a state school degree: she brings that humility to the bench. And their colleague <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/courts\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-justices\/justice-david-n-wecht\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Justice Wecht<\/a> initiated a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politicspa.com\/pa-supreme-court-candidate-wecht-issues-5-point-plan-to-clean-up-the-judiciary\/63621\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">five-point plan<\/a> to foster <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/approach-the-bench\/id1704723428?i=1000721630257\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">judicial ethics and transparency<\/a> in the courts. <em>As someone who has seen the best and worst of judges\u2019 conduct behind the bench, these are exactly the type of jurists we want <\/em>on<em> the bench.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The stakes couldn\u2019t be higher. As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=w3zbSg5hnNA&amp;t=279s\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">I explained during Montgomery County\u2019s No Kings rally<\/a> earlier this month, if you\u2019re concerned about federal overreach, creeping autocracy, and whether we\u2019ll have free and fair elections in 2026 and 2028, state supreme courts are one of the most important backstops for democracy. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesa.fm\/politics-government\/2025-09-06\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-judicial-retention-elections-voting-cases-rulings?fbclid=IwY2xjawM8JjxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHhq2R3SN1DcaiAsvsxKQXzMhc1MZiOxVeoEyVuRIG_ybRGNlHSDopsearB-Z_aem_iqGxjRISAvFLBGtFXBYZKg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Election integrity<\/a> is a state issue: challenges to voting provisions, such as mail-in ballots, drop boxes, signature mismatch, voter ID, and ballot curing and provisional ballots, just to name a few \u2014 will likely come before the courts again.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Pennsylvania Republicans have consistently challenged voting laws: this will crescendo during the 2026 midterms, since Pennsylvania is a key battleground state with at least four flippable districts in play. And, the specific issue of partisan gerrymandering may come before the courts.<\/p>\n<p>Jeffrey Yass, the richest man in Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania\u2019s Elon Musk), has <a href=\"https:\/\/whyy.org\/articles\/pa-elections-democrats-jeffrey-yass-spending-judicial\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">poured millions<\/a> of dollars into a misleading \u201cVote No\u201d campaign targeting every mail-in voter in the Commonwealth. Because <em>he<\/em> recognizes the stakes. Justice Wecht <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/election\/supreme-court-race-pennsylvania-misleading-mailer-jeffery-yass-pac-20250928.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">called these mailings<\/a> \u201coutright, brazen misrepresentation\u201d and \u201cprobably the most shameless political ad I\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d Our courts shouldn\u2019t be for sale.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Why should you care about Pennsylvania\u2019s Supreme Court election if you\u2019re not a Pennsylvania voter? Not <em>just<\/em> because the outcome of this election will be a bellwether for the 2026 midterms and 2028 presidential election \u2014 and our democracy. But also, because what\u2019s happening in Pennsylvania \u2014 and recently in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brennancenter.org\/our-work\/analysis-opinion\/most-expensive-judicial-election-ever\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Wisconsin\u2019s<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2025\/05\/07\/north-carolina-supreme-court-concede-00332704\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">North Carolina\u2019s<\/a> judicial elections \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/boltsmag.org\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-elections-2025\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">will happen elsewhere<\/a>. Increasingly, wealthy interests attempt to buy our courts. Republicans have long understood the importance of the courts, much more than Democrats. They\u2019ve invested time and money grooming candidates to run for and <a href=\"https:\/\/yaledailynews.com\/blog\/2024\/11\/04\/how-the-federalist-society-shaped-americas-judiciary\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">serve in<\/a> judicial offices.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As someone who cares deeply about ensuring fair, accountable, and ethical courts, and who works almost as hard to keep good jurists on the bench as to <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/minnesota-federal-bankruptcy-judge-to-resign-amid-misconduct-allegations\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">hold abusive ones accountable<\/a>, I know the stakes could not be higher this November. Voting \u201cyes\u201d to retain Justices Dougherty, Donohue, and Wecht is a vote for the rule of law. These justices protected democracy when it was tested, including during a global pandemic \u2014 ensuring our votes were our voices, even when we were quarantined in our houses. At a time when democracy is under grave threat, casting your ballot is a small but consequential way to ensure state courts can continue serving as a bulwark against autocracy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n<p><strong><em>Aliza Shatzman is the President and Founder of\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalaccountabilityproject.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><strong><em>The Legal Accountability Project<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>, a nonprofit aimed at ensuring that law clerks have positive clerkship experiences, while extending support and resources to those who do not. She regularly writes and speaks about judicial accountability and clerkships. Reach out to her via email at\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"mailto:Aliza.Shatzman@legalaccountabilityproject.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Aliza.Shatzman@legalaccountabilityproject.org<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>\u00a0and follow her on Twitter @AlizaShatzman.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/10\/the-most-important-election-no-ones-talking-about\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Most Important Election No One\u2019s Talking About<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"610\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Election_Day_18.jpg?resize=610%2C400&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-73273\" title=\"\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Imagine an election whose outcome doesn\u2019t just determine the next two years, but the next decade. One where not just voting rights, reproductive rights, and civil rights \u2014 but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=w3zbSg5hnNA&amp;t=279s\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">democracy itself<\/a> \u2014 is on the line, and candidates\u2019 rulings have implications for the next several election cycles, and the state\u2019s once-in-a-decade census and redistricting. One with notoriously <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pghcitypaper.com\/topic\/election\/deceptive-ads-and-low-turnout-mean-high-stakes-for-pa-supreme-court-justices-up-for-retention\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">low turnout<\/a>, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=w3zbSg5hnNA&amp;t=279s\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">historically high stakes<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Unless you live in <a href=\"https:\/\/boltsmag.org\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-elections-2025\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Pennsylvania<\/a> (and even if you do), you may not know a judicial election is happening right now. Alongside other critical races in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2025\/10\/23\/abigail-spanberger-leads-virginia-governor-race-poll\/86849137007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Virginia<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rutgers.edu\/news\/sherrill-and-ciattarelli-are-close-race-new-jersey-governor-half-voters-saying-trump-major\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">New Jersey<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/story\/2025-10-22\/voter-turnout-exceeds-expectations-in-proposition-50-special-election\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">California<\/a>, voters head to the polls through November 4, 2025. Off-year elections are typically sleepy affairs. But before we approach the sexier midterm elections in 2026, we must ensure three Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/courts\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-justices\/justice-kevin-m-dougherty\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Kevin Dougherty<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/courts\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-justices\/justice-christine-donohue\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Christine Donohue<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/courts\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-justices\/justice-david-n-wecht\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">David Wecht<\/a> \u2014 are retained for <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/45bc0f9e9a1e47fcbb6d31855181a11a\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">another<\/a> 10-year term, especially since election matters will come before their court in 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/boltsmag.org\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-elections-2025\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Retention<\/a> is reelection for a second 10-year term: but, rather than face Republican opponents, voters vote \u201cyes\u201d to keep judges on the bench if they upheld their oaths and fairly, impartially interpreted the Constitution. Judges are <a href=\"https:\/\/boltsmag.org\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-elections-2025\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">typically retained<\/a>, mostly because voters don\u2019t know who they are or why they\u2019d vote \u201cno.\u201d But these are also low-information elections, and judicial races are on the back of Pennsylvanians\u2019 ballots, meaning eligible voters might not vote at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve endured nearly a year of federal abuses of power \u2014 from the <a href=\"https:\/\/americanoversight.org\/investigation\/the-trump-administrations-dismantling-of-federal-agencies-and-threats-to-important-social-services\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">dismantling of federal agencies<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/magazine\/2025\/08\/28\/trump-revenge-tour-weaponize-government-column-00529277\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">weaponizing the Justice Department<\/a> against perceived enemies \u2014 in part because too many people didn\u2019t vote in 2024. Now, everything we care about is on the ballot <em>again<\/em> this fall, with greater urgency. Voters have another opportunity to get this right. Whether you care about voting rights, reproductive rights, the environment, or public education \u2014 the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, like other state courts, is the backstop for democracy, and a bulwark against autocracy and federal overreach.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Pennsylvania\u2019s Supreme Court has the final say on Pennsylvania law. So, here are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlightpa.org\/news\/2025\/10\/urban-pennsylvania-supreme-court-judges-retention-elections-public-safety-health-elections\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a few areas<\/a> where the justices have vindicated Pennsylvanians\u2019 rights over the past 10 years.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Voting Rights<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Justices <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesa.fm\/politics-government\/2025-09-06\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-judicial-retention-elections-voting-cases-rulings?fbclid=IwY2xjawM8JjxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHhq2R3SN1DcaiAsvsxKQXzMhc1MZiOxVeoEyVuRIG_ybRGNlHSDopsearB-Z_aem_iqGxjRISAvFLBGtFXBYZKg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">strengthened voting rights<\/a> across Pennsylvania by protecting mail-in voting and drop boxes \u2014 including during the COVID-19 pandemic \u2014 and ensuring ballots cannot be discarded due to signature mismatch or slow mail service. Voters are literally voting for the judges who decide whether their votes count.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Partisan <a href=\"https:\/\/www.americanprogress.org\/article\/trump-ordered-texas-to-gerrymander-5-new-republican-leaning-congressional-districts-this-is-how-other-states-can-fight-back\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">gerrymandering<\/a> is in the news now: Pennsylvanians fought this nearly a decade ago. Back in 2018, Pennsylvania had the most gerrymandered congressional map in the country: the delegation had 13 Republicans and just five Democrats, even though Pennsylvania had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pa.gov\/content\/dam\/copapwp-pagov\/en\/dos\/resources\/voting-and-elections\/voting-and-election-statistics\/voter-registration-statistics\/2018-Primary-VR-Stats.pdf#:~:text=Wayne%209%2C634%2017%2C889%2070%20194,3%2C227%2C611%2011%2C548%2044%2C399%201%2C133%2C582%208%2C460%2C068\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">nearly 1 million more registered Democrats<\/a>. As many as 1 million Pennsylvanians\u2019 voices did not count. Beyond that, some districts were barely contiguous: Republicans\u2019 brazen map-drawing efforts created GOP-held districts where as little as a <em>parking lot<\/em> connected parts of the district. One well-known example is a district <a href=\"https:\/\/whyy.org\/segments\/touring-pa-s-7th-congressional-district-one-nations-gerrymandered\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">resembling Goofy kicking Donald Duck<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesa.fm\/politics-government\/2025-09-10\/pa-supreme-court-redistricting-wecht\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">obscenely gerrymandered map<\/a> unconstitutional: Pennsylvania went from the most gerrymandered map in the U.S., to the fairest. The new map had nine Democrats and nine Republicans (Democrats have since lost one seat): this ruling is the reason Congresswomen Madeleine Dean and Mary Gay Scanlon represent Montgomery County. Judicial elections have consequences far beyond one race or election year: judges\u2019 rulings have decades-long implications for fair and equal representation, and whether the rights guaranteed in theory by our Constitution can be realized in practice.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Free and fair elections are on the line: this election could determine the outcomes of the 2026 midterm elections, 2028 presidential election, and 2030 census and redistricting. Election integrity is a state issue: voting rights will come before the court in 2026 and 2028. Republicans are warming up for 2026 by <a href=\"https:\/\/whyy.org\/articles\/pennsylvania-election-lawsuits-bucks-chester-delaware-counties\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">challenging voting laws<\/a> across Pennsylvania, and nationwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Judicial elections don\u2019t just affect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/learn\/how-judges-are-elected\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Pennsylvania<\/a>: dozens of states <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brennancenter.org\/our-work\/analysis-opinion\/judicial-selection-significant-figures\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">elect some judges<\/a>. Just last year, North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs\u2019 election <a href=\"https:\/\/statecourtreport.org\/our-work\/analysis-opinion\/griffin-concedes-riggs-ending-six-month-dispute-over-north-carolina\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">extended <em>six months<\/em><\/a> beyond Election Day due to Republican lawsuits. And we\u2019re all affected by the makeup of Congress \u2014 it\u2019s why Texas, California, and other states are gerrymandering right now, trying to offset each other. Frankly, whether Pennsylvania\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/penncapital-star.com\/2025\/03\/26\/repub\/emilys-list-sets-ambitious-course-to-flip-u-s-house-in-2026\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">four flippable congressional districts<\/a> are competitive in 2026 \u2014 and whether every voter\u2019s ballot <em>counts<\/em> \u2014 starts with ensuring Pennsylvania has a Democratic Supreme Court to uphold the rule of law if those elections are challenged in court.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Reproductive Rights<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Even after the U.S. Supreme Court gutted <em>Roe v. Wade<\/em>, Pennsylvanians still have a constitutionally protected right to abortion. In <a href=\"https:\/\/statecourtreport.org\/our-work\/analysis-opinion\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-ruling-overturns-decades-old-precedent\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Allegheny Health<\/em><\/a>, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that the use of state Medicaid funds to cover men\u2019s health services, but not women\u2019s reproductive health services, was unconstitutional sex discrimination, pursuant to Pennsylvania\u2019s Equal Rights Amendment.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Environment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Pennsylvania Constitution, unlike the U.S. Constitution, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legis.state.pa.us\/WU01\/LI\/LI\/CT\/HTM\/00\/00.001.027.000..HTM\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">guarantees an environmental right<\/a>. Pennsylvanians have <em>more<\/em> rights than the federal Constitution affords. But ensuring clean air and clean water rests upon having justices to safeguard them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Public Education<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Pennsylvania\u2019s Supreme Court safeguarded Pennsylvanians\u2019 right to a free and fair public education. A 2023 ruling held Pennsylvania\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edweek.org\/policy-politics\/pennsylvania-school-funding-is-unconstitutional-judge-says-heres-what-could-happen-next\/2023\/02\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">school funding system unconstitutional<\/a> and affirmed the constitutional right to a quality public education, regardless of zip code. Despite the <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-education-department-shutdown-b1d25a2e1bdcd24cfde8ad8b655b9843\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">dismantling<\/a> of the U.S. Department of Education, Democratic justices can deflect federal assaults on public education.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>What happens <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesa.fm\/politics-government\/2025-10-20\/pa-supreme-court-wecht-retention\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">if the justices are not retained<\/a>? Pennsylvania currently has a 5-2 majority Democrat Supreme Court. If three justices aren\u2019t retained, the court will remain 2-2 until at least 2027. The court\u2019s work, and justice, will grind to a halt. That\u2019s because, while the state\u2019s Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro, can appoint new nominees, they need to be confirmed by the Senate. Pennsylvania\u2019s Republican-held Senate, which has <a href=\"https:\/\/penncapital-star.com\/government-politics\/senate-republican-budget-plan-draws-criticism-from-democrats-as-unserious\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">refused to pass a state budget<\/a> for more than 100 days to prevent Democratic strongholds from receiving <a href=\"https:\/\/whyy.org\/articles\/pennsylvania-senate-republicans-transportation-budget-septa-funding\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">public transportation funding<\/a>, will not confirm those nominees.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Slow justice is no justice. As we\u2019ve observed in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/legal\/government\/us-judiciary-begins-furloughing-employees-during-government-shutdown-2025-10-20\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">federal courts<\/a> since the government shutdown, we can expect similar, magnified effects if Pennsylvania\u2019s Supreme Court loses <em>three of its seven justices<\/em> for <em>two whole years. <\/em>Republicans are trying to defang the courts for ruling against their perceived interests (and in favor of democracy and expanded rights for Pennsylvanians) over the past decade.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We should care as much about who judges are as people as we do about their rulings. Judges\u2019 lived experiences influence their decision-making, often leading to better, fairer outcomes for litigants. Impartial justice doesn\u2019t mean indifference.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>So, who are these jurists? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/courts\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-justices\/justice-kevin-m-dougherty\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Justice Dougherty<\/a> began his judicial career in family court, where he spearheaded an innovative, statewide <a href=\"https:\/\/retaindougherty.com\/autism-and-the-courts-initiative\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Autism and the Courts initiative<\/a>, as well as a diversion program so fewer children\u2019s futures were derailed by criminal records. His colleague <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/courts\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-justices\/justice-christine-donohue\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Justice Donohue<\/a> is the daughter of a coal miner and a seamstress, and the first Pennsylvania state Supreme Court justice with a state school degree: she brings that humility to the bench. And their colleague <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/courts\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-justices\/justice-david-n-wecht\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Justice Wecht<\/a> initiated a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politicspa.com\/pa-supreme-court-candidate-wecht-issues-5-point-plan-to-clean-up-the-judiciary\/63621\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">five-point plan<\/a> to foster <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/approach-the-bench\/id1704723428?i=1000721630257\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">judicial ethics and transparency<\/a> in the courts. <em>As someone who has seen the best and worst of judges\u2019 conduct behind the bench, these are exactly the type of jurists we want <\/em>on<em> the bench.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The stakes couldn\u2019t be higher. As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=w3zbSg5hnNA&amp;t=279s\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">I explained during Montgomery County\u2019s No Kings rally<\/a> earlier this month, if you\u2019re concerned about federal overreach, creeping autocracy, and whether we\u2019ll have free and fair elections in 2026 and 2028, state supreme courts are one of the most important backstops for democracy. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesa.fm\/politics-government\/2025-09-06\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-judicial-retention-elections-voting-cases-rulings?fbclid=IwY2xjawM8JjxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHhq2R3SN1DcaiAsvsxKQXzMhc1MZiOxVeoEyVuRIG_ybRGNlHSDopsearB-Z_aem_iqGxjRISAvFLBGtFXBYZKg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Election integrity<\/a> is a state issue: challenges to voting provisions, such as mail-in ballots, drop boxes, signature mismatch, voter ID, and ballot curing and provisional ballots, just to name a few \u2014 will likely come before the courts again.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Pennsylvania Republicans have consistently challenged voting laws: this will crescendo during the 2026 midterms, since Pennsylvania is a key battleground state with at least four flippable districts in play. And, the specific issue of partisan gerrymandering may come before the courts.<\/p>\n<p>Jeffrey Yass, the richest man in Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania\u2019s Elon Musk), has <a href=\"https:\/\/whyy.org\/articles\/pa-elections-democrats-jeffrey-yass-spending-judicial\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">poured millions<\/a> of dollars into a misleading \u201cVote No\u201d campaign targeting every mail-in voter in the Commonwealth. Because <em>he<\/em> recognizes the stakes. Justice Wecht <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/election\/supreme-court-race-pennsylvania-misleading-mailer-jeffery-yass-pac-20250928.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">called these mailings<\/a> \u201coutright, brazen misrepresentation\u201d and \u201cprobably the most shameless political ad I\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d Our courts shouldn\u2019t be for sale.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Why should you care about Pennsylvania\u2019s Supreme Court election if you\u2019re not a Pennsylvania voter? Not <em>just<\/em> because the outcome of this election will be a bellwether for the 2026 midterms and 2028 presidential election \u2014 and our democracy. But also, because what\u2019s happening in Pennsylvania \u2014 and recently in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brennancenter.org\/our-work\/analysis-opinion\/most-expensive-judicial-election-ever\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Wisconsin\u2019s<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2025\/05\/07\/north-carolina-supreme-court-concede-00332704\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">North Carolina\u2019s<\/a> judicial elections \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/boltsmag.org\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-elections-2025\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">will happen elsewhere<\/a>. Increasingly, wealthy interests attempt to buy our courts. Republicans have long understood the importance of the courts, much more than Democrats. They\u2019ve invested time and money grooming candidates to run for and <a href=\"https:\/\/yaledailynews.com\/blog\/2024\/11\/04\/how-the-federalist-society-shaped-americas-judiciary\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">serve in<\/a> judicial offices.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As someone who cares deeply about ensuring fair, accountable, and ethical courts, and who works almost as hard to keep good jurists on the bench as to <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/minnesota-federal-bankruptcy-judge-to-resign-amid-misconduct-allegations\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">hold abusive ones accountable<\/a>, I know the stakes could not be higher this November. Voting \u201cyes\u201d to retain Justices Dougherty, Donohue, and Wecht is a vote for the rule of law. These justices protected democracy when it was tested, including during a global pandemic \u2014 ensuring our votes were our voices, even when we were quarantined in our houses. At a time when democracy is under grave threat, casting your ballot is a small but consequential way to ensure state courts can continue serving as a bulwark against autocracy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n<p><strong><em>Aliza Shatzman is the President and Founder of\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalaccountabilityproject.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><strong><em>The Legal Accountability Project<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>, a nonprofit aimed at ensuring that law clerks have positive clerkship experiences, while extending support and resources to those who do not. She regularly writes and speaks about judicial accountability and clerkships. Reach out to her via email at\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#efae8386958ec1bc878e9b95828e81af838a888e838e8c8c809a819b8e8d8683869b969f9d80858a8c9bc1809d88\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><strong><em>[email\u00a0protected]<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>\u00a0and follow her on Twitter @AlizaShatzman.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Imagine an election whose outcome doesn\u2019t just determine the next two years, but the next decade. One where not just voting rights, reproductive rights, and civil rights \u2014 but democracy itself \u2014 is on the line, and candidates\u2019 rulings have implications for the next several election cycles, and the state\u2019s once-in-a-decade census and redistricting. One [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":135992,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135991","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/xira.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Election_Day_18-yccdpw.jpg?fit=610%2C400&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135991","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135991"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135991\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/135992"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135991"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135991"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135991"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}