Election recap: Pennsylvania in 2011
The Pennsylvania judicial elections were held on November 8, 2011. For a complete list of races and results, see: Pennsylvania judicial elections, 2011.
Below is comparative data based on election results. All results are unofficial and from the Pennsylvania Department of State.
Contested elections
There were 103 courts with seats up for election in 2011. In addition to the appellate courts, there were 40 Common Pleas Courts with races and 58 Magisterial District Courts with races. Candidates also competed for the Philadelphia Municipal Court and Philadelphia Traffic Court.
Overall, 426 judges won new terms to the Pennsylvania courts.
Court of Common Pleas
In only nine races for the Common Pleas Courts did a candidate run unopposed in the general election. Nine new female judges were elected to the Common Pleas Courts, while 33 male judges were newly elected to the Common Pleas courts.
- Closest margin of percentage for a win: Lesa Gelb was narrowly elected to the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas, winning 13.3 percent of the vote. She beat Molly Hanlon Mirabito for the judgeship by .2%.
- Smallest percentage of vote to be elected: Jonathan Q. Irvine was elected to one of eleven seats on the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas with 7.7 percent of the vote.
Magisterial District Courts
In 216 races, candidates ran unopposed in the general election.
- Closest margin of percentage for a win: Patricia A. Zaffarano was re-elected to the Montgomery County Magisterial District by .3 percent of the vote.
- County with most district elections: Allegheny County. There were 22 races.
Retention elections
The state is unique in that incumbent judges, who have previously won election to the seat, stand for retention at the end of their terms. This year, 80 judges stood for retention on November 8, 2011. Of those 80 judges, all were retained by voters.
- The highest retention vote: John H. Foradora was retained to the Jefferson County Court of Common Pleas with 84.3 percent of the vote.
- The lowest retention vote: Debbie O'Dell Seneca was retained to the Washington County Court of Common Pleas with 65.3 percent of the vote.
This table explains the average vote totals for the 80 retained judges.
| Percentage range | Number of votes | Average percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 65-69.9% | 5 | 67.54% |
| 70-74.9% | 34 | 73.36% |
| 75-79.9% | 30 | 76.84 |
| 80+ | 11 | 81.95% |
Supreme Court
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court had one retention election. J. Michael Eakin was retained with 73.6 percent of the vote.
Intermediate appellate courts
Five judges on the state's intermediate appellate courts stood for retention.
The Pennsylvania Superior Court:
- John T. Bender - retained with 71.8 percent
- Mary Jane Bowes - retained with 73.5 percent
The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court:
- Renee Cohn Jubelirer - retained with 70.6 percent
- Mary Hannah Leavitt - retained with 72.1 percent
- Robert Simpson - retained with 72.8 percent
Of the six appellate judges retained in 2011, the average rate of retention was 72.4%.
Courts of Common Pleas
There were 74 Common Pleas judges that stood for retention in 2011. All of the judges were retained, with an average retention percentage of 75.73%.
See also
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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