John Padova Jr.

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John Padova Jr.

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Democratic Party

Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas

Tenure

2024 - Present

Term ends

2034

Years in position

1

Prior offices

Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas

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Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 7, 2023

Contact

Campaign website

John Padova Jr. (Democratic Party) is a judge of the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania. Padova assumed office on January 1, 2024. Padova's current term ends on January 2, 2034.

Padova (Democratic Party) ran for election for judge of the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania. Padova won in the general election on November 7, 2023.

Padova was nominated to the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas by Gov. Tom Wolf (D) and confirmed by the Pennsylvania State Senate on December 18, 2019.

Elections

2023

Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judges Genece E. Brinkley, Joel S. Johnson, and Rayford A. Means filed to run for retention in 2023 but later withdrew. As a result, 10 seats on the court were up in the primary election, but 13 seats were up in the general election on November 7, 2023. The Democratic Party nominated candidates James Eisenhower, Elvin Ross, and Raj Sandher to run for the additional three seats in the general election.

See also: City elections in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2023)

General election

General election for Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas (13 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas on November 7, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tamika Washington (D)	9.5	204,468
✔		Natasha Taylor-Smith (D)	9.4	201,305
✔		Samantha Williams (D)	8.9	190,770
✔		Kay Yu (D)	8.6	184,310
✔		Brian McLaughlin (D)	8.4	181,161
✔	Submit photo	Chesley Lightsey (D)	8.2	175,248
✔	Submit photo	John Padova Jr. (D)	7.7	165,392
✔		Jessica Brown (D)	7.2	155,170
✔		Caroline Turner (D)	7.1	152,850
✔	Submit photo	Damaris Garcia (D)	6.6	141,108
✔	Submit photo	James Eisenhower (D)	6.5	138,927
✔	Submit photo	Elvin Ross (D)	6.0	128,519
✔	Submit photo	Raj Sandher (D)	5.8	124,315
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	3,961

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,147,504
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas (13 seats)

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas on May 16, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Natasha Taylor-Smith	10.3	145,242
✔		Tamika Washington	9.3	130,896
✔		Samantha Williams	8.6	121,340
✔		Kay Yu	7.8	109,961
✔	Submit photo	John Padova Jr.	7.2	100,946
✔	Submit photo	Chesley Lightsey	6.5	91,646
✔		Brian McLaughlin	6.2	87,367
✔	Submit photo	Damaris Garcia	6.2	86,824
✔		Caroline Turner	6.1	86,095
✔		Jessica Brown	5.8	81,517
		Will Braveman	5.6	78,447
		Wade Albert	5.5	78,124
		Kenneth Joel	5.0	69,900
	Submit photo	Qawi Abdul-Rahman	3.9	54,810
	Submit photo	Melissa Francis	3.5	48,868
	Submit photo	Joe Green	2.7	38,524
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	865

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,411,372
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• MK Feeney (D)
• Colleen McIntyre Osborne (D)
• Aaron Bell (D)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Padova in this election.

2021

Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judges Gary S. Glazer, James Murray Lynn, Arnold L. New, and Robert J. Rebstock filed to run for retention in 2021, but later withdrew. As a result, eight seats on the court were up in the primary election, but 12 seats were up in the general election on November 2, 2021. The Democratic Party nominated candidates Monica Gibbs, Leanne Litwin, Mark Moore, and John Sabatina Jr. to run for the additional four seats in the general election.

See also: City elections in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2021)

General election

General election for Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas (12 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas on November 2, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Wendi Barish (D)	8.9	154,312
✔	Submit photo	Nick Kamau (D)	8.8	153,790
✔	Submit photo	Michele Hangley (D)	8.7	151,677
✔		Chris Hall (D)	8.7	150,829
✔	Submit photo	Cateria McCabe (D)	8.7	150,727
✔		Betsy Wahl (D)	8.6	149,577
✔		Mark Moore (D)	8.2	142,964
✔		Daniel Sulman (D)	8.2	142,625
✔	Submit photo	Craig Levin (D)	8.1	141,424
✔	Submit photo	Monica Gibbs (D)	8.0	139,573
✔		John Sabatina Jr. (D)	7.6	132,348
✔	Submit photo	Leanne Litwin (D)	7.3	127,834
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	3,877

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,741,557
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas (12 seats)

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas on May 18, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Nick Kamau	9.5	103,129
✔	Submit photo	Wendi Barish	9.3	100,441
✔	Submit photo	Cateria McCabe	9.0	97,570
✔		Betsy Wahl	8.2	88,302
✔		Chris Hall	8.0	86,610
✔	Submit photo	Michele Hangley	7.1	76,359
✔	Submit photo	Craig Levin	6.9	74,215
✔		Daniel Sulman	6.8	73,017
		Caroline Turner	6.7	72,066
		Mark Moore	5.9	63,510
		Tamika Washington	5.8	63,090
	Submit photo	Terri Booker	4.8	52,270
	Submit photo	John Padova Jr.	4.7	50,506
	Submit photo	Maurice Houston	2.8	29,864
	Submit photo	Rick Cataldi	2.3	24,632
		Patrick Moran	2.3	24,305

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,079,886
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Peter Bryant (D)
• Christian DiCicco (D)
• Lopez T. Thompson (D)
• Sherrie Cohen (D)
• Rania Major (D)

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Caroline Turner completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Turner's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was formerly a British nurse, human activist and have been a PA and NJ lawyer for the last 17 years. I started out my legal career as a public defender for 11 years where I tried numerous felony cases ranging from homicides to white collar crimes and numerous other felony cases in-between. Since the beginning of 2018, I have been a plaintiff's medical malpractice trial attorney, trying numerous civil cases to civil juries. I also represent numerous criminally charged defendants pro bono as well as many wrongfully convicted prisoners through pro bono Post Conviction Relief Act petitions. My work in the community is extensive as I participate in food-sharing and numerous events alongside Young Chances Foundation. I won a City Council award for "Outstanding Community Service", in 2022. I also serve as a volunteer mediator for the Eviction Diversion Program which has been a nationwide example of successful resolutions to landlord-tenant disputes both during and post COVID in Philadelphia.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Fight for Restorative Justice.
• Reform Pre-Trial Detention.
• Enact Court Transparency.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about restoring communities ravaged by historically racist policies (such as red-lining) where residents have not been able to afford home-repairs, home-loans and mortgages and where schools are underfunded, recreation centers have closed and where residents have been over-targeted eg. the war on drugs. Many communities in Philadelphia have been divested of their resources as well as their family members through mass incarceration. I care passionately about restoring these communities by reinvesting in them. I also care passionately about the scourge of gun violence in our city. We need to urgently implement stricter gun control measures. Of the 57 blocks identified as those where more than 30% of the homicides in our city occur, 53 were historically red-lined. The relationship between poverty, disinvestment and violence is one of ongoing generational trauma that we need to recognize and address. For me, reinvesting in communities that have been the most badly affected is key to giving hope and the promise of a brighter future to our present generation of children.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am very respectful of people in general. I am fair but also recognize that life is much harder for some people than others so would do my very best to make sure that people in my court are set up for success rather than failure. I will be accountable and transparent. I will acknowledge the pain of victims. I will follow the law at all times but will work to help maximize restorative justice as much as I can within the legal possibilities.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy of fighting for justice.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

My son died by suicide in 2017. Both our immigration and mental illness paid a part in his death. The pain of losing him is with me every moment of every day but I remember how proud he was that I fought for justice and I try to perpetuate his legacy by keeping on fighting.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Recommended by the Philadelphia Bar Association, Philadelphia 2nd, 9th, 39a, 15th Wards, Senator Nikil Saval, State Rep. Rick Krajewski, Working Families Party.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2021

John Padova Jr. did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.

See also

2023 Elections

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External links

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Candidate

Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas

Website

Footnotes

Pennsylvania courts

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Federal courts:

Third Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania

State courts:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania Superior Court • Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court • Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas • Pennsylvania Magisterial Districts

State resources:

Courts in Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania judicial elections • Judicial selection in Pennsylvania