Toe the Line: College Republicans | Philadelphia Municipal Election

Go vote!

By John Speck 11/02/15 12:29am

While everyone has been tuning into the presidential debates and following the latest comments from Donald Trump, this is all for an election more than a year away. It may not be as widely known that there is in fact an election tomorrow as well. On Tuesday, voters will have the opportunity to vote on an array of local and state issues that will have a significant impact on our local community. While the election tomorrow may not have the high-profile names that are in the news every day, this election will have a significant impact. College Republicans urges all those students registered to vote in tomorrow’s election here in Philadelphia to do so.

The most visible office on the ballot here in Philadelphia is that for Mayor Michael Nutter’s successor.

College Republicans endorses the Republican candidate, Melissa Murray Bailey, for mayor. We believe she offers a youthful change to Philadelphia politics and offers solutions to the city’s problems not heard in the political discussion nearly enough.

Another set of elections that will be particularly consequential this year is the elections for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. There is an unprecedented three seats open for election on the seven-seat Court. The five currently filled seats are occupied by three Republicans and two Democrats. So the balance of the Court hangs on the outcome of this election tomorrow. College Republicans endorses the three Republican candidates running for the positions.

The first candidate is Michael George. He is currently serving on the Adams County Court of Common Pleas and has held that position since 2002. Before that he served as the Adams County District Attorney. He is endorsed by the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association.

The next candidate running is Judy Olson. Currently she serves on Pennsylvania Superior Court. She graduated second in her law class and worked in the private sector before obtaining her judgeship. She is an advocate against “judicial activism” and believes that the Court’s sole responsibility is to review the laws passed by the legislature. Her endorsements include the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, Pennsylvania Pro-Life and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The final Republican running is Anne Covey. She is currently a judge on the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court. In this position she was instrumental in the case against the NCAA in its settlement with Penn State University over the Sandusky scandal. She was insistent that the money paid in the settlement be kept in Pennsylvania and be used to help sex abuse victims in the state. Her endorsements include the Local No. 22 Philadelphia Firefighters and Paramedics Union, Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation and Pennsylvanians for Effective Government.

The next state judicial race is for the one vacancy on the 15-seat Pennsylvania Superior Court. This court is one of the two intermediate appellate courts for Pennsylvania. Cases that end up before the Superior Court involve most appealed cases from the Courts of Common Pleas. The Superior Court also reviews wiretapping requests made by the state and district attorneys. Emil Giordano is the Republican running in this race and is currently a judge on the Court of Common Pleas for Northampton County. He has been on the court since 2003. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Villanova University in 1985 and has served as an assistant district attorney out of law school. He then went on to be an attorney in the private sector before seeking the Courts of Common Pleas judgeship.

There is a vacancy on the nine-seat Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court as well this year. This is Pennsylvania’s second appellate court and hears cases mostly dealing with cases against regulatory agencies of the government, eminent domain cases, elections, workers’ compensation, banking, insurance and more. The Republican running in this election is Paul Lalley. A Penn undergrad alumnus, he is currently working with a private law firm.

Regardless of who you vote for, College Republicans urges those students eligible to vote in tomorrow’s elections to do so. Your one vote is the same vote “everyone else” receives, and it matters just as much.

— College Republican Editorial Board

penncollegerepublicans@gmail.com

Toe the Line examines issues from two different sides. Click here to view the Penn Democrats side.

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