2017 Pennsylvania elections

Pennsylvania held statewide elections on November 7, 2017 to fill judicial positions on the Supreme Court, Superior Court, Commonwealth Court, allow judicial retention votes, and fill numerous county, local and municipal offices. The necessary primary elections were held in May 2017.

Elections in Pennsylvania
Federal government
U.S. President
U.S. Senate
Class One
Class Three
U.S. House of Representatives
State government
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General
Auditor General
State Treasurer
State Senate
State House Elections
Elections by year
State elections
Philadelphia
Mayoral elections
City Council elections
Other municipal elections
Pittsburgh
Mayors
Lancaster
Mayors
Allentown
Mayors
Harrisburg
Mayors

Special Elections

133rd legislative district

A special election for the 133rd legislative district took place on December 5 after the death of Democratic State Representative Daniel McNeill.[1]

Democrats selected McNeill's wife Jeanne McNeill as their nominee.[2] Republicans nominated David Molony, and Libertarians nominated Samantha Dorney.[3]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 133 special election, 2017
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jeanne McNeill 2,302 67.43
Republican David Molony 992 29.06
Libertarian Samantha Dorney 120 3.51
Total votes 3,414 100.00
Democratic hold

197th legislative district

Democratic State Representative Leslie Acosta was re-elected during the 2016 elections, but later resigned after pleading guilty to charges of embezzlement.[4] A special election for the 197th legislative district took place on March 21.

Republicans nominated Lucinda Little for the seat. Democrats originally nominated health clinic administrator Frederick Ramirez, but a Commonwealth Court ruling declared Ramirez did not reside in the district and removed him from the ballot.[5] Democrats attempted to replace Ramirez with Philadelphia Parking Authority auditor Emilio Vazquez, but the Court ruled (and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania confirmed) that the filing deadline had passed, preventing the substitution.[6] Vazquez subsequently ran a write-in campaign, along with Green Party candidate Cheri Honkala.[7]

After the special election, four elections officers would be charged with interference after allegations of duress and voter intimidation were alleged.[8]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 197 special election, 2017
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Emilio Vazquez (write-in) 1,972 73.20
Green Cheri Honkala (write-in) 286 10.62
scattered write-ins 235 8.72
Republican Lucinda Little 201 7.46
Total votes 2,694 100.00
Democratic hold

Justice of the Supreme Court

One vacancy occurred after Justice J. Michael Eakin left the court in 2016.

Primary

Republican Superior Court judge Sallie Updyke Mundy was appointed by Governor Tom Wolf to the seat vacated by Justice Eakin and confirmed on June 27, 2016.[9] She ran for a full 10-year term in 2017 and was unopposed in the Republican primary.

Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas judge and former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Dwayne Woodruff ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

General election
Justice of the Supreme Court, 2017[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dwayne Woodruff 995,540 47.72%
Republican Sallie Updyke Mundy (inc.) 1,090,485 52.28%
Total votes 2,086,025 100.00%
Republican hold

Judge of the Superior Court

4 vacancies

Primary election
Judge of the Superior Court, 2017 Democratic primary[10]
Vote for 4
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carolyn Nichols 448,675 22.72%
Democratic Geoffrey Moulton Jr. 361,547 18.31%
Democratic Maria McLaughlin 460,250 23.30%
Democratic Deborah Kunselman 432,937 21.92%
Democratic William Caye II 271,533 13.75%
Total votes 1,974,942 100.00%
Judge of the Superior Court, 2017 Republican primary[10]
Vote for 4
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Emil Giordano 320,394 20.79%
Republican Craig Stedman 380,027 24.66%
Republican Wade Kagarise 317,511 20.61%
Republican Mary Murray 295,138 19.15%
Republican Paula Patrick 227,751 14.78%
Total votes 1,540,821 100.00%

General election
Judge of the Superior Court, 2017 general election[10]
Vote for 4
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Maria McLaughlin 1,078,522 14.09%
Democratic Carolyn Nichols 978,842 12.79%
Democratic Deborah Kunselman 1,041,965 13.61%
Democratic Geoffrey Moulton Jr. 892,646 11.66%
Republican Craig Stedman 914,284 11.95%
Republican Emil Giordano 885,996 11.58%
Republican Wade Kagarise 835,647 10.92%
Republican Mary Murray 918,705 12.00%
Green Jules Mermelstein 106,969 1.40%
Total votes 7,653,576 100.00%

Judge of the Commonwealth Court

2 vacancies

Primary election
Judge of the Commonwealth Court, 2017 Democratic primary[10]
Vote for 2
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Walter Barry 215,904 18.71%
Democratic Joseph Cosgrove 169,869 14.72%
Democratic Ellen Ceisler 280,209 24.28%
Democratic Todd Eagen 180,654 15.65%
Democratic Irene Clark 237,287 20.56%
Democratic Bryan Barbin 70,201 6.08%
Total votes 1,154,124 100.00%
Judge of the Commonwealth Court, 2017 Republican primary[10]
Vote for 2
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Paul Lalley 400,090 53.57%
Republican Christine Fizzano Cannon 346,755 46.43%
Total votes 746,845 100.00%

General election
Judge of the Commonwealth Court, 2017 general election[10]
Vote for 2
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ellen Ceisler 988,295 25.65%
Democratic Irene Clark 958,384 24.88%
Republican Paul Lalley 911,418 23.66%
Republican Christine Fizzano Cannon 994,163 25.81%
Total votes 3,852,260 100.00%

Judicial Retention

Justice of the Supreme Court
Justice Thomas G. Saylor Retention, 2017
Choice Votes %
Yes 1,074,905 68.25
No 500,162 31.75
Total votes 1,575,067 100.00
Source: PA Department of State
Justice Debra Todd Retention, 2017
Choice Votes %
Yes 1,121,007 70.83
No 461,751 29.17
Total votes 1,582,758 100.00
Source: PA Department of State

Judge of the Superior Court
Judge Jacqueline Shogan Retention, 2017
Choice Votes %
Yes 1,073,774 69.31
No 475,429 30.69
Total votes 1,549,203 100.00
Source: PA Department of State

Mayoral Elections

Pittsburgh
Main article: 2017 Pittsburgh mayoral election

Lancaster
Main article: 2017 Lancaster, Pennsylvania mayoral election

Allentown
Main article: 2017 Allentown mayoral election

Harrisburg
Main article: 2017 Harrisburg mayoral election

Ballot Questions
Proposed Constitutional Amendment Amending the Homestead Property Tax Assessment Exclusion
Choice Votes %
Yes 963,324 53.99
No 821,002 46.01
Total votes 1,784,326 100.00
Source: PA Department of State

References
  1. Engelkemier, Paul (2017-09-18). "Turzai Sets Date for Special Election to Replace McNeill". PoliticsPA. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  2. Engelkemier, Paul (2017-10-03). "Pa. Dems Announce Candidate for 133rd House District Special Election". PoliticsPA. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  3. Engelkemier, Paul (2017-12-06). "McNeill Wins Husband's Seat in Special Election". PoliticsPA. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  4. Sasko, Claire (2016-12-09). "Convicted State Rep. Leslie Acosta to Resign". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  5. Scolforo, Mark (2017-02-24). "Too few flushes get legislative candidate thrown off ballot". Associated Press. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  6. Engelkemier, Paul (2017-03-13). "HD-197: Supreme Court Keeps Democratic Candidate Off the Ballot". PoliticsPA. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  7. Brennan, Chris (2017-03-03). "North Philly feud costs Democrats a shot at a state House seat". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  8. Engelkemier, Paul (2017-10-30). "Four Charged With Interference in the 197th House District Special Election". PoliticsPA. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  9. Mendicino, Anthony (June 28, 2016). "Sallie Updyke Mundy appointed to Pennsylvania Supreme Court". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  10. "2017 Pennsylvania Elections - Summary Results". Pennsylvania Department of State. 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2021-01-02.


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