IN LANCASTER COUNTY. DEMOCRATS PACKED THE HOUSE HERE AT THE FARM AND HOME CENTER. I WILL TELL YOU THE BIG HIGHLIGHT OF THE EVENING FOR MOST WAS THAT SPEECH BY THE DNC CHAIR. HOWEVER, THE REAL STICKING POINT OF THE NIGHT WAS THE FOCUS ON THE JURY RETENTION RATE WITH BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS URGING VOTERS TO COME OUT AND CAST THEIR BALLOTS. THIS IS ABOUT OUR DEMOCRACY. TONIGHT, THE HOME AND FARM CENTER PLAYED HOST TO OVER MORE THAN 100 DEMOCRATS PREPARING FOR TUESDAY’S ELECTION. EVERY ELECTION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN ATTENDANCE, WHERE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES AND A HOST OF DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT. BUT THERE WERE ALSO VOTERS NOT SEEKING ANY SORT OF OFFICE, BUT WHO WANTED TO BE THERE FOR INSPIRATION. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE HERE IN PENNSYLVANIA, BUT THEY’RE NOT GOING TO OWN THE COURTS IN PENNSYLVANIA BECAUSE OF THE BIG DRAW. A SPEECH FROM DNC CHAIR KEN MARTIN, WHO’S BEEN CAMPAIGNING ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH FOR THE RETENTION OF SUPREME COURT JUSTICES KEVIN DOHERTY, DAVID WEDGE AND CHRISTINE DONAHUE, WHO WAS ALSO IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT. EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THE ASSIGNMENT. THEY’RE ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES. THEY’RE TALKING TO VOTERS. BUT JOSHUA ROCKY FEELS DIFFERENTLY. IT’S TIME FOR THEM TO GO. THEY HAVEN’T MERITED TEN MORE YEARS. SHIRAKI, A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE PENNSYLVANIA GOP, FEELS THAT ACTUALLY GETTING RID OF THE THREE CURRENT JUDGES AND ELECTING NEW JUSTICES TO THE BENCH WILL NOT ONLY MAKE FOR A BETTER COMMONWEALTH, BUT BRING ABOUT LESS POLARIZATION IN THE STATE. FINDING THREE ATTORNEYS, THREE JUDGES, THREE LAW SCHOOL PROFESSORS, IF YOU WILL, WHO WOULD BE NOMINATED BY A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR AND HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY A BIPARTISAN SENATE, MIGHT ACTUALLY LOWER THE TEMPERATURE AND, FRANKLY, INCREASE OUR CONFIDENCE IN THE JUDICIARY. AND DEMOCRATS RIGHT NOW HOLD A52 MAJORITY WHEN IT COMES TO THE PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT. AND OVER THE LAST DECADE, THEY HAVE MADE A HOST OF DECISIONS WITH TOPICS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO GERRYMANDERING AND REDISTRICTING, THE FATE OF ELECTION LAWS, ALONG WITH THE PANDEMIC. BUT ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS THAT WE DO WANT TO NOTE HERE IS THAT IF A MAJORITY NO VOTE ON RETENTION FOR ANY THREE OF THOSE JUSTICES, THAT WOULD RESULT IN A CONVENTIONAL ELECTI
Pennsylvania voters to decide on state Supreme Court justices’ retention
Updated: 11:16 PM EDT Oct 29, 2025
Less than a week before the general election, Pennsylvania voters are set to decide whether three Democratic state Supreme Court justices will remain in their positions through a retention vote.In Lancaster County, Democrats gathered at the Home and Farm Center, where the highlight of the evening was a speech from Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin.Martin emphasized the importance of democracy and urged attendees to participate in the upcoming election. “This is about democracy,” Martin said, as the crowd responded with applause.Sharon Allen-Spann, a Lancaster resident, expressed the significance of the election, stating, “Every election is the most important election.” She added, “The feeling I get is that we can make a difference here in Pennsylvania.”Martin has been campaigning across the state for the retention of Justices Kevin Dougherty, David Wecht, and Christine Donahue, encouraging voters to understand their role and engage with the electoral process.”Everyone understands their assignment, they’re rolling up their sleeves, their talking to voters,” Martin said.However, Guy Ciarrocchi, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania GOP, holds a contrasting view.”It’s time for them to go; they haven’t merited 3 more years,” Ciarrocchi said.He believes that electing new justices could reduce polarization and improve the state’s judiciary.”Finding three attorneys, three judges, three law school professors, if you will, who would be nominated by a Democratic governor and have to be approved by a bipartisan Senate, might actually lower the temperature and, frankly, increase our confidence in the judiciary and get it out of from being the Partizan, bench that it’s been for too many years,” Ciarrocchi said.Currently, Democrats hold a 5-2 majority in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.Over the past decade, the court has ruled on various significant issues, including election laws, pandemic lockdowns, and redistricting.A majority “no” vote on retention for any of the three justices would lead to a conventional election.
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. —
Less than a week before the general election, Pennsylvania voters are set to decide whether three Democratic state Supreme Court justices will remain in their positions through a retention vote.
In Lancaster County, Democrats gathered at the Home and Farm Center, where the highlight of the evening was a speech from Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin.
Martin emphasized the importance of democracy and urged attendees to participate in the upcoming election. “This is about democracy,” Martin said, as the crowd responded with applause.
Sharon Allen-Spann, a Lancaster resident, expressed the significance of the election, stating, “Every election is the most important election.” She added, “The feeling I get is that we can make a difference here in Pennsylvania.”
Martin has been campaigning across the state for the retention of Justices Kevin Dougherty, David Wecht, and Christine Donahue, encouraging voters to understand their role and engage with the electoral process.
“Everyone understands their assignment, they’re rolling up their sleeves, their talking to voters,” Martin said.
However, Guy Ciarrocchi, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania GOP, holds a contrasting view.
“It’s time for them to go; they haven’t merited 3 more years,” Ciarrocchi said.
He believes that electing new justices could reduce polarization and improve the state’s judiciary.
“Finding three attorneys, three judges, three law school professors, if you will, who would be nominated by a Democratic governor and have to be approved by a bipartisan Senate, might actually lower the temperature and, frankly, increase our confidence in the judiciary and get it out of from being the Partizan, bench that it’s been for too many years,” Ciarrocchi said.
Currently, Democrats hold a 5-2 majority in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Over the past decade, the court has ruled on various significant issues, including election laws, pandemic lockdowns, and redistricting.
A majority “no” vote on retention for any of the three justices would lead to a conventional election.