Editor’s Note: Percentages and projections are based on results reported on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. The results are subject to change.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania held numerous local and statewide elections on Nov. 2, 2021.
Republican Kevin Brobson is the winner of the open seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He edges out Democratic nominee Maria McLauglin with 50.6 percent of the vote.
Brobson will replace Republican Justice Thomas Saylor, as he has reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.
However, with Brobson’s win, Democrats will still maintain a 5-2 majority on the court.
In the race for an open seat on the Pennsylvania Superior Court, Republican Megan Sullivan, a former state prosecutor, defeated Democratic nominee Timika Lane.
Sullivan is set to win with around 54 percent to Timika Lanes’ 46 percent of the vote.
Two open seats were needed to be filled in Tuesday’s election for the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court.
Four candidates, two from each party, were vying to be within the top two vote getters on election night.
Nominees from the Democratic party were Lori Dumas and David Spurgeon. Nominees from the Republican party were Stacy Wallace and incumbent Judge Drew Crompton.
Republican Stacy Wallace is the only projected winner in the race. She received 26.7 percent of the vote, which tops all four candidates.
Democrat Lori Dumas is currently in second place holding a roughly 12,000-vote lead over incumbent Republican Judge Drew Crompton.
If Dumas can maintain her lead over Crompton, it would be a major pickup for the Democrats in the Pennsylvania appellate courts. However, her margin over Republican Judge Drew Crompton is well within the boundaries for an automatic recount.
Numerous retention elections for state judges were also held. Each of the four judges are set to retain their seat for another 10-year term following election night results.
Many ballot measures were also under the spotlight throughout the Commonwealth on Tuesday.
Question one on the ballots of Philadelphia residents asked if the city charter should be changed to urge the state legislature to decriminalize the use of marijuana and to allow the non-medical sale of the drug.
Voters overwhelmingly voted “YES” to the ballot measure, with over 73 percent of the vote in favor of the measure.
Also in Philadelphia, Incumbent Democratic district attorney Lawrence Krasner will reclaim the office in the city.
Krasner wonwith 71.7 percent of the vote to Republican Charles Peruto’s 28 percent.
Numerous municipal elections were also held across the state.
In the second most populated city in the Commonwealth, Pittsburg voters largely voted for Democrat Ed Gainey to become the next Mayor of the steel city.
Ed Gainey will secure the win with over 70 percent of the vote to Republican Tony Moreno’s 28 percent.
Democrat Ed Gainey will become the city’s first Black mayor when he assumes office.
Two Pennsylvania House of Representatives special elections were held on Tuesday.
District 113, which encompasses much of the City of Scranton, and District 164 outside of Philadelphia, both had open seats to the state legislature.
In House district 113, Democrat Thom Welby is the winner over Republican Dominick Manetti with 69 percent of the vote going to the Democrat.
Welby will replace his former boss, now-state senator Marty Flynn, in the chamber in Harrisburg.
In House district 164, Democrat Gina Curry is set to win over Republican Brian Sharif Taylor for the seat that represents parts of Delaware County. Curry received over 78 percent of the vote to Taylor’s 19 percent.
Curry retains the seat held by Former Democratic Representative Margo Davidson, who resigned after being charged with theft relating to the misuse of campaign funds.
In news outside the Commonwealth, Republican gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin dealt a major blow to Democrats, beating out former Governor Terry McAuliffe to become the next Governor of Virginia.
Youngkin received 50.6 percent of the vote to McAuliffe’s 48.6 percent, in a state that has not had a Republican win a statewide election since 2009.
In New Jersey, incumbent Governor Phil Murphy defeated Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli in a race that was closer than expected.
Governor Murphy received just under 51 percent of the vote to Ciatterelli’s 48.3 percent.
Murphy became the first Democrat since 1977 to win consecutive terms for governor in the Garden State.
