PENNSYLVANIA SUPERIOR COURT

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

The Superior Court is one of Pennsylvanias two statewide intermediate appellate courts.
The court consists of 15 judges who get an annual salary of $191,926 and serve 10-year
terms.
This court reviews most of the civil and criminal cases that are appealed from the Courts
of Common Pleas in the states 67 counties. A huge volume of appeals ow to Superior
Court from the trial courts. Generally, appeals are heard by panels of three judges sitting
in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
This court often is the nal arbiter of legal disputes, although the Supreme Court may
grant a petition for review of a Superior Court decision.
There are two candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for one seat. They are:

DEM candidates

15

Primary
VOTERS
GUIDE

Polls open 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Tuesday, May 19

Contested races are as follows:

PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT

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The Supreme Court is the highest court in the commonwealth. The court consists of
seven judges who get an annual salary of $203,409 and serve 10-year terms.
This court is considered the court of last resort, taking appeals from lower courts.
Cases are generally heard by panels sitting in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
There are three Supreme Court vacancies. They were created by the retirements
of Chief Justice Ronald Castille, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 70
last year, and Justice Seamus McCaffery, who stepped down last year to avoid an
investigation into pornographic emails. Justice Joan Orie Melvin, who was convicted in
2013 of using her staff to run her campaign, resigned.
There are six candidates seeking the Democratic and Republican nominations for
three seats. They are:

DEM candidates

Christine
DONOHUE

Age: 62
About the candidate: After
appearing in courtrooms
for 27 years as a lawyer,
Donohue was elected
in 2007 to serve on the
Superior Court. She has
decided more than 2,000
appeals by written decisions.

Kevin M.
DOUGHERTY

Age: 51
About the candidate:
Dougherty has served as
a judge on the Court of
Common Pleas since 2001.
He previously served as
administrative judge of
Philadelphia Family Court
for nearly a decade.

Robert COLVILLE

Age: 49
About the candidate: Colville is an
Allegheny County Court judge. He is also
a member of the Pennsylvania Supreme
Court to the Court of Judicial Discipline of
Pennsylvania.

The Commonwealth Court is one of Pennsylvanias two statewide intermediate appellate

courts. The court consists of nine judges who get an annual salary of $191,926 and serve
10-year terms.
This court is generally limited to legal matters involving state and local government and
regulatory agencies. Litigation typically focuses on such subjects as banking, insurance,
utility regulation, land-use, elections, labor practices and workers compensation. Cases
are generally heard by panels of three judges sitting in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and
Pittsburgh.
There are two candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for one seat. They are:

DEM candidates

Todd EAGEN

Age: 48
About the candidate:
Foradora is president
judge in Jefferson County
and is one of four state
judges on the Strategic
Planning Workshop of the
Pennsylvania Sentencing
Commission.

Age: 56
About the candidate: Dubow has served
as judge in the Philadelphia Court of
Common Pleas for the past seven years.
She began her public service as an
assistant city solicitor for the City of
Philadelphia in 1992.

PENNSYLVANIA COMMONWEALTH COURT

Age: 47
About the candidate: A partner in
a Lackawanna County-based rm,
Eagen and his colleagues specialize in
representing unions across Pennsylvania.
They represent the Pennsylvania State
Troopers Association and Pennsylvania
State Corrections Officers Association.

John Henry
FORADORA

Alice Beck DUBOW

Michael WOJCIK

Age: 50
About the candidate: Wojcik is an
Allegheny County attorney who also
serves as solicitor for the Allegheny
County Airport Authority. He served as
Allegheny County solicitor for eight years.

MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGES

Three areas of Lancaster County feature contested primaries for magisterial district
judge.
Magisterial district judges receive an annual salary of $88,290 and serve six years. They
handle arraignments, minor criminal offenses, traffic citations and nontraffic ordinance
violations, marriage ceremonies, emergency protection-from-abuse petitions and civil
cases up to $12,000.
While they do not have to be lawyers, they are required to complete a training course
offered by the state and attend 32 hours of continuing-education courses each year.
Many of the candidates have cross-led for the positions, meaning they will appear on
both the Democratic and Republican ballots. Candidates current profession listed.
Contested primaries are as follows:

District 2-1-01

Lancaster citys southwest quadrant that includes the 4th and 8th wards

Anne E. LAZARUS David WECHT

Age: 62
About the candidate:
Lazarus was elected to
her current position as a
Superior Court judge in
2009. Since her election,
she has written more
than 2,000 memos and
opinions and has been
recognized for providing
pro bono legal service.

Age: 52
About the candidate:
Wecht has served on
the Superior Court of
Pennsylvania since 2012.
Prior to that he served as
a trial judge on the Court
of Common Pleas for
Pennsylvania, presiding
extensively in both the civil
and family divisions.

Dwayne D.
WOODRUFF

Age: 58
About the candidate:
Woodruff is a judge on
the Court of Common
Pleas of Allegheny County,
presiding primarily over
juvenile cases. He began
practicing law in 1988 while
playing for the Pittsburgh
Steelers.

DEM candidates

James R. HAINES Jr. (J.R. HAINES on ballot) - constable of Lancaster

citys 8th Ward

Adam WITKONIS - attorney

GOP candidates

J.R. HAINES - see above

Adam WITKONIS - see above

District 2-1-03

Columbia and Mountville boroughs and West Hempeld Township

GOP candidates

DEM candidates
Miles BIXLER - West Hempeld Township police corporal
Robert L. BUZZENDORE JR. - attorney at Hoffmeyer & Semmelman in York
William GENETTI - Lancaster city police officer
Mark G. PUGLIESE - West Hempeld Township police chief

Cheryl ALLEN

Age: 67
About the candidate: Allen
started her career as a
teacher before becoming
a lawyer. After practicing
the law for 15 years, she
got her rst position as a
judge in 1990. She became
the rst black woman to be
elected to the Pennsylvania
Superior Court.

Anne COVEY

Age: 55
About the candidate:
Covey was elected to
the Commonwealth
Court in 2011. Prior to her
election, she served on
the Pennsylvania Labor
Relations Board for over a
decade.

Mike GEORGE

Age: 56
About the candidate:
Currently in his second
10-year term as a Adams
County Court judge,
George presides over a
range of civil and criminal
cases. He also serves as
chairman of the countys
Criminal Justice Advisory
Board.

GOP candidates

Miles BIXLER - see above

Robert L. BUZZENDORE JR. - see above

William GENETTI - see above

Mark G. PUGLIESE - see above

District 2-3-05

Bart, Caernarvon, Leacock, Paradise, Sadsbury and Salisbury townships

DEM candidates
Deborah L. GREATHOUSE - Lancaster County assistant district attorney
Ray SHELLER - Salisbury Township constable

GOP candidates
Deborah L. GREATHOUSE - see above

Judy OLSON

Age: 57
About the candidate:
Olson currently serves
on the Pennsylvania
Superior Court. Prior to
her election to the higher
court, she served on the
Court of Common Pleas
of Allegheny County,
where she presided over
numerous civil matters.

Correale STEVENS

Age: 68
About the candidate:
Stevens, then president
judge of the state Superior
Court, was nominated in
June 2013 to ll the term
of former Justice Melvin.
He served for four years
as Luzerne County district
attorney, and ran for his
position as judge in 1991.

Rebecca
WARREN

Age: 48
About the candidate:
Warren is district attorney
for Montour County.
Throughout her 24-year
legal career, she has
appeared in front of state,
federal and county courts
on thousands of cases.

For a roundup of stories on next weeks

election, visit http://bit.ly/lancastervotes2015

Ray SHELLER - see above

SCHOOL BOARD RACES

Six local school districts feature contested primaries on at least one partys ballot this
spring. Candidates profession listed.
*Incumbent seeking re-election
Contested races are as follows:

Elizabethtown

Six candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for ve seats. They are:

GOP candidates

Ronald T. GRENKO* - physician at Downtown Family Medicine

Craig M. HUMMER* - residential loan officer at Metro Bank
Caroline LALVANI* - director of community affairs and special events at E-town College
Mike NICODEMUS - new business coordinator for UGI Utilities
Terry L. SEIDERS* - supervisor of regional operations at First Energy
Karen SWEIGART - real estate agent with Sweigart Partnership
2

Ephrata

Conestoga

Six candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for ve seats. They are:

Two candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for one seat. They are:

GOP candidates

Judy S. BEILER* - pastor at The Worship Center

Suzanne M. DELAHUNT - director of music at Grace United Church of Christ
Theodore KACHEL* - employee at Garden of Eden Produce
Neal D. REICHARD - assistant director of services for Ephrata Manor
Tim STAUFFER* - teacher at Manheim Christian Day School
Chris WEBER* - pastor at Ephrata Community Church

Hempeld

Adam T. ALOISI* - independent

investor

Daniel K. FORRY* - agriculturist

Diane L. GERLACH* - retired

Loren R. BROWN JR. - re inspector

Luke BUNTING - president and marketing strategist at Bunting Group

East Earl

Two candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for one seat. They are:

GOP candidates

Nelson GROFF - commercial estimator at Hoover Buildings

Joe E. SHRIVER* - retired from Case New Holland

Six candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for ve seats. They are:

GOP candidates

GOP candidates

Grant W. KEENER - attorney

James H. MAURER JR.* - chief
nancial officer at Sechan Electronics

William H. OTTO* - retired

East Lampeter

Four candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for two seats. They are:

GOP candidates

David R. BUCKWALTER* - sales

Eric REATH - legislative assistant to

Glenn L. EBERLY* - self-employed

Diane F. TYSON - director at

manager at High Steel Structures

Manheim Township

state Rep. Keith Greiner

Lancaster County Academy

Seven candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for ve seats. They are:

GOP candidates

Mark ANDERSON* - facilities

engineer at Case New Holland

Stephen W. GROSH - attorney at

Law Offices of Stephen W. Grosh

Todd HECKMAN* - higher

education and healthcare management

consultant

Martic
JoAnn B. HENTZ - retired educator
Nikki RIVERA - teacher at Warwick
School District

Charles F. BRAUGHT JR. - self-

William E. MURRY* - self-employed

in the construction and real estate industries

Malinda CLATTERBUCK -

assistant at Harrowgate Fine Foods

School District of Lancaster

Leslie PENKUNAS - freelance

editor and writer

Nelson L. PETERS* - retired senior

staff industrial engineer

Donald F. SNYDER - self-employed

Jodi STAUFFER - guidance

employed

counselor at Red Lion Area Junior High

School

director of family ministries at Lutheran

Church of the Good Shepherd

Penn

Six candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for ve seats. They are:

Charles HAMPLE - teacher at

GOP candidates

Lynn M. MILLER - executive

Warwick

GOP candidates

Four candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for two seats. They are:

Four candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for two seats. They are:

Todd RUCCI* - works in government

relations at PAP Technologies

Benedict R. SAHD* - retired educator

Scott SHAUB* - environmental,
health and safety coordinator at
Armstrong World Industries

GOP candidates

John KEGARISE* - owner and

George OSENBURG - retired

Dick SHELLENBERGER - human

president of Baron Insurance Group

Richard E. LANDIS - owner of

relations director at HY-Line International

Haldeman Mills in Manheim

Providence

Three candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for one seat. They are:

BOROUGH RACES
Four of Lancaster Countys 18 boroughs feature contested primary races for borough
council. Candidates profession listed.
*Incumbent seeking re-election
Contested races are as follows:

Akron

GOP candidates

William H. MORRISON - owner of William H. Morrison Excavating

Kent PEIFFER - path ow coordinator at Alcoa
John SCHROEDER - HVAC technician

Five candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for three seats. They are:

GOP candidates

Daniel MCCORMAC* - a sales associate with HomeSale Mortgage

H. Jeffrey SHIRK* - manufacturing consultant for Total Outsource Solutions
John D. TAYLOR* - power eet sales manager for Penray
John WILLIAMSON - self-employed consultant
Philip BENIGNO - business development executive for Lancaster Barnstormers

Denver

n Conestoga and Martic townships voters will decide whether a seven-member

commission should study the adoption of a citizen-based form of local government

known as home rule. Home-rule designation gives a community the ability to establish
and implement policies to address local concerns.

n East Drumore Township residents will decide if privately owned businesses can sell
beer, wine and liquor.

n Strasburg Township voters will decide whether to approve the issuance of licenses
to conduct small games of chance.

Four candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for three seats. They are:

GOP candidates

WRITE-IN CANDIDATE

Michael W. COHICK* - retired

Blake S. DAUB* - vice president of support services at Luthercare
John P. PALM - safety manager at Martin Limestone
Todd STEWART - attorney with the Harrisburg-based law rm of Hawke,

n Mike Hanauer launched a write-in campaign for the Democratic nomination for
register of wills.
n Emmanuel Jean-Philippe launched a write-in campaign for magisterial judge seat in
District 2-1-01. He is asking that both Republicans and Democrats nominate him.

McKeon and Snisnak

East Petersburg

Pa. PRIMARY RULES

Five candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for four seats. They are:

GOP candidates

n Pennsylvania is a closed-primary state. You may vote for candidates only in the

Gregory BUCHER* - owner of Chanceys Pub

Adam GOCHNAUER* - vice president of Gochnauers Home Appliance Center
Connie MCELWAIN* - retired educator
Mike MCHENRY - general manager at mechanical engineering rm
John M. SCHICK - senior project manager at Rettew Associates

Manheim

Three candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for one seat to represent the
2nd Ward. They are:

GOP candidates

party with which you are registered.

n If you are registered with a minor party or as an independent, you may not cast
a ballot for a major party candidate. But you may vote on ballot questions. Four
municipalities in Lancaster County have ballot questions appearing on the ballot.

VOTING INFORMATION
1. What time can I vote? Polls open 7 a.m. 8 p.m., Tuesday May 19.
2. Where do I vote? If you dont know where your polling place is, visit

votespa.com and click the link under Where is my polling place? Enter your home address,
and the site will tell you the street address of your polling place and give you directions.

3. What if I have problems voting? If you have problems at your polling

place, call the Lancaster County Elections Office at 299-8293. You can also stop by the
elections office at 150 N. Queen St., Suite 117. Thats the former Armstrong building at Queen
and Chestnut streets. If youd like to report a voting problem to the newspaper, call

Jean L. GATES - retired

Elaine LEECH - loan consultant for Caliber Home Loans
Bonnie MARTIN* - housewife

291-8622. If youre on Twitter, tweet voting problems or issues using #LancasterVotes.

4. When and where can I nd results? The results will start ltering
into the Lancaster County Elections Office a short time after the polls close at 8 p.m. Check
LancasterOnline for live coverage and breaking news throughout the day and evening.

TOWNSHIP RACES

5. Should I expect long lines?

Eight of Lancaster Countys 41 townships features contested primary races for

supervisor or commissioner. Candidates profession listed.
Contested races are as follows:
*Incumbent seeking re-election

Brecknock

Two candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for one seat. They are:

election year, and turnout is typically low.

Probably not. This is not a presidential

DO I NEED IDENTIFICATION?
If you are a rst-time voter or are voting in a new precinct
for the rst time

GOP candidates

n You must bring one of these approved forms of photo identication:

Larry HORNING - customer service trainer at Conestoga Wood Specialties

Jerry LONG - proprietor

Pennsylvania drivers license or PennDOT ID card

ID issued by the U.S. Government
U.S. Armed Forces ID
Student ID

ID issued by any commonwealth agency

U.S. passport
Employee ID

If you do not have a photo ID

Colerain

n You can use a nonphoto identication that includes your name and address.
Approved forms of nonphoto identication include:

Two candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for one seat. They are:

Nonphoto ID issued by any commonwealth agency

Nonphoto ID issued by the U.S. government
Current bank statement

GOP nominees

Emmett J. ST. CLAIR - retired business owner

Scott E. SHOEMAKER* - Colerain Township road crew member

BALLOT QUESTIONS

Voter Registration Certicate issued by the

county voter registrar

Firearm permit
Current utility bill

Government check

Current paycheck