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John Sweeney (Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania)
John Sweeney was a candidate for a judgeship on the Westmoreland County Magisterial District in Pennsylvania. Sweeney was defeated in the primary election on May 16, 2017.
Elections
2017
Pennsylvania held local judicial elections on November 7, 2017. A primary election occurred on May 16, 2017. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was March 7, 2017. Candidates and recently appointed judges of the Courts of Common Pleas must initially run in partisan elections. Subsequent terms are won through retention elections. Elections for the Magisterial District Courts are always partisan. Pennsylvania allows cross-filing for candidates running in partisan elections. Most candidates run in both the Democratic and Republican primaries.[1]
Chris Flanigan defeated Henry Fontana, John Sweeney, and Eugene Zulisky in the Democratic primary for the Westmoreland County Magisterial District 10-2-10.[2]
| Westmoreland County Magisterial District 10-2-10, Democratic Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Chris Flanigan |
46.47% | 613 |
| Henry Fontana | 28.96% | 382 |
| John Sweeney | 17.36% | 229 |
| Eugene Zulisky | 7.20% | 95 |
| Total Votes | 1,319 | |
| Source: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, "Unofficial Election Results," accessed May 16, 2017 | ||
Chris Flanigan defeated John Sweeney, Henry Fontana, and Eugene Zulisky in the Republican primary for the Westmoreland County Magisterial District 10-2-10.[3]
| Westmoreland County Magisterial District 10-2-10, Republican Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Chris Flanigan |
34.69% | 324 |
| John Sweeney | 24.73% | 231 |
| Henry Fontana | 23.55% | 220 |
| Eugene Zulisky | 17.02% | 159 |
| Total Votes | 934 | |
| Source: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, "Unofficial Election Results," accessed May 16, 2017 | ||
Selection method
- See also: Partisan election of judges
Judges of the Pennsylvania Magisterial Districts are selected in partisan elections. They serve six-year terms. After their initial term, magistrates must run for new terms in contested races.[4][5]
Qualifications
A judge must be:
- a local resident for at least one year;[5]
- a state bar member;*
- no younger than 21; and
- no older than 75.
*Magisterial district judges may alternatively pass a training course to sidestep the bar member requirement.[5]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2017 Election Calendar," accessed February 23, 2017
- ↑ Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, "2017 Primary Candidate List," accessed April 11, 2017
- ↑ Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, "2017 Primary Candidate List," accessed April 11, 2017
- ↑ Pennsylvania Courts, "How Judges Are Elected," accessed July 22, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Pennsylvania; Limited Jurisdiction Courts," archived October 3, 2014
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
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