Judicial candidates that have withdrawn will still appear on ballots

May 15, 2011

Pennsylvania: Officials say it is now too late to reprogram Philadelphia's voting machines to account for three candidates who have been withdrawn from the ballot for judgeship on the Philadelphia Municipal Court. The machines were delivered to poling locations starting Friday May 6, in preparation for the May 17 primary. The candidates who have officially withdrawn are Joseph C. Waters, Jr. and Meredith Seigle-DiClaudio and they have acquired court orders to make their dropouts official. Anita Smith is another candidate running for judge, but since she is not a lawyer she is ineligible to serve even if she wins. Since it was too late to reprogram the voting machines, officials have, instead, sent letters to officials in each of the city's 1,685 voting divisions, alerting them to the candidates who have withdrawn from the races. However, since these candidates' names will still appear on the ballot voters can still choose them and the votes will still be counted.