Pennsylvania

Primary Day: Philadelphia Picks Mayoral Favorite, Pennsylvania Picks Judges

It's primary Election Day in Pennsylvania and all eyes in Philadelphia will be focused on the mayoral race.

At the top of Tuesday's statewide ballot are nomination races for three seats on the state Supreme Court, with 12 candidates to choose from. The three top vote-getters in each party will compete in the general election for a 10-year term on the state's highest court.

Also on the ballot are Democratic nomination races for the Superior and Commonwealth courts.

In heavily Democratic Philadelphia, the Democratic mayoral primary will effectively determine the mayor for the next four years. The candidates are former District Attorney Lynne Abraham, former judge Nelson Diaz, former City Councilman Jim Kenney, former Philadelphia Gas Works executive Doug Oliver, former state Sen. Milton Street and state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams. The Democrat that comes out on top will take on Republican Businesswoman Melissa Murray Bailey.

City Council spots are also up for grabs including hotly contest Democratic races in the 2nd and 7th districts and more than one dozen Democrats and six Republicans running for Council-at-Large.

The nomination races for Supreme Court and one open seat each on the Superior and Commonwealth courts were the only statewide election contests this year, but voters in Pennsylvania were also choosing nominees for a large number of local judgeships, municipal offices and school board seats.

The Democratic candidates for Supreme Court were Superior Court judges Christine Donohue, Anne Lazarus and David Wecht, Philadelphia Judge Kevin Dougherty, Jefferson County Judge John Foradora and Allegheny County Judge Dwayne Woodruff.

The Republican candidates were Supreme Court Justice Correale Stevens, Superior Court judges Cheryl Allen and Judy Olson, Commonwealth Court Judge Anne Covey, Adams County Judge Mike George and Montour County District Attorney Rebecca Warren.

The candidates' campaigns raised about $5 million in the primary, and the general election phase is expected to unleash a flood of cash from outside interest groups.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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