HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – March 7 was the deadline for candidates to file with the state to run in Pennsylvania’s 2023 primary election.
Statewide, the top-of-the-ticket race is for an open seat on the state Supreme Court with both Republicans and Democrats competing in contested primaries for the position.
On the Democratic side, two judges on the state Superior Court filed petitions to run. They are Daniel McCaffery, of Philadelphia, and Deborah Kunselman, of Beaver County. The Superior Court handles appeals from county courts in criminal and civil cases.
On the Republican side, Montgomery County’s president Judge, Carolyn Caluccio, filed, as did Commonwealth Court Judge Patricia McCullough. McCullough, of Allegheny County, also ran for state Supreme Court in 2021 and lost in the primary.
The full list of statewide candidates from the Department of State can be found below:
JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT
| Candidate Name | Office | District | Party | Municipality | County |
| DEBBIE KUNSELMAN | JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT | Statewide | DEM | CENTER TWP | BEAVER |
| DANIEL MCCAFFERY | JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT | Statewide | DEM | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| CAROLYN CARLUCCIO | JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT | Statewide | REP | WHITPAIN | MONTGOMERY |
| PATRICIA A MCCULLOUGH | JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT | Statewide | REP | UPPER ST. CLAIR TOWNSHIP | ALLEGHENY |
JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT
| Office | District | Party | Candidate Name | Municipality | County |
| JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT | Statewide | DEM | TIMIKA LANE | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT | Statewide | DEM | JILL BECK | PITTSBURGH | ALLEGHENY |
| JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT | Statewide | DEM | PAT DUGAN | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT | Statewide | REP | HARRY F SMAIL JR | HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP | WESTMORELAND |
| JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT | Statewide | REP | MARIA BATTISTA | SALEM TWP | CLARION |
JUDGE OF THE COMMONWEALTH COURT
| Office | District | Party | Candidate Name | Municipality | County |
| JUDGE OF THE COMMONWEALTH COURT | Statewide | DEM | BRYAN NEFT | MT LEBANON | ALLEGHENY |
| JUDGE OF THE COMMONWEALTH COURT | Statewide | DEM | MATT WOLF | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| JUDGE OF THE COMMONWEALTH COURT | Statewide | REP | JOSH PRINCE | DISTRICT TOWNSHIP | BERKS |
| JUDGE OF THE COMMONWEALTH COURT | Statewide | REP | MEGAN MARTIN | SILVER SPRING | CUMBERLAND |
JUDGE OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS – PHILADELPHIA
| District | Party | Candidate Name | Municipality | County |
| 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | DAMARIS GARCIA | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | SAMANTHA WILLIAMS | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | KAY YU | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | WADE D ALBERT | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | JOHN PADOVA | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | JESSICA R BROWN | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | CHESLEY LIGHTSEY | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | NATASHA TAYLOR-SMITH | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | COLLEEN MCINTYRE OSBORNE | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | MELISSA FRANCIS | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
JUDGE OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS – ALLEGHENY
| District | Party | Candidate Name | Municipality | County |
| 5th Judicial District (Allegheny County) | DEM | ANTHONY DELUCA | MT LEBANON | ALLEGHENY |
| 5th Judicial District (Allegheny County) | DEM | ANDY SZEFI | MT LEBANON | ALLEGHENY |
| 5th Judicial District (Allegheny County) | DEM | PATRICK A SWEENEY | PITTSBURGH | ALLEGHENY |
| 5th Judicial District (Allegheny County) | REP | ANDY SZEFI | MT LEBANON | ALLEGHENY |
| 5th Judicial District (Allegheny County) | REP | ANTHONY DELUCA | MT LEBANON | ALLEGHENY |
| 5th Judicial District (Allegheny County) | REP | PATRICK A SWEENEY | PITTSBURGH | ALLEGHENY |
JUDGE OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
| District | Party | Candidate Name | Municipality | County |
| 2nd Judicial District (Lancaster County) | DEM | KAREN L MAISANO | LANCASTER TOWNSHIP | LANCASTER |
| 2nd Judicial District (Lancaster County) | REP | KAREN L MAISANO | LANCASTER TOWNSHIP | LANCASTER |
| 2nd Judicial District (Lancaster County) | REP | SHAWN P MCLAUGHLIN | CONOY TOWNSHIP | LANCASTER |
| 2nd Judicial District (Lancaster County) | REP | TODD BROWN | EAST HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP | LANCASTER |
| 2nd Judicial District (Lancaster County) | REP | CHRISTINA PARSONS | EAST HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP | LANCASTER |
| 3rd Judicial District (Northampton County) | DEM | NANCY AAROE | BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP | NORTHAMPTON |
| 3rd Judicial District (Northampton County) | DEM | BRIAN PANELLA | FORKS TOWNSHIP | NORTHAMPTON |
| 3rd Judicial District (Northampton County) | REP | NANCY AAROE | BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP | NORTHAMPTON |
| 3rd Judicial District (Northampton County) | REP | BRIAN PANELLA | FORKS TOWNSHIP | NORTHAMPTON |
| 6th Judicial District (Erie County) | DEM | ERIC MIKOVCH | ELK CREEK TOWNSHIP | ERIE |
JUDGE OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT
| Office | District | Party | Candidate Name | Municipality | County |
| JUDGE OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT | 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | RANIA MAJOR | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| JUDGE OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT | 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | MELISSA FRANCIS | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| JUDGE OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT | 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | COLLEEN MCINTYRE OSBORNE | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| JUDGE OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT | 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | CORTEZ PATTON | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| JUDGE OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT | 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | MK FEENEY | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| JUDGE OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT | 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | BARBARA THOMSON | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| JUDGE OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT | 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | QAWI ABDUL-RAHMAN | PHILADEPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| JUDGE OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT | 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | JOE GREEN | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| JUDGE OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT | 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | DEM | CAROLINE TURNER | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
| JUDGE OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT | 1st Judicial District (Philadelphia County) | REP | RANIA M MAJOR | PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA |
Philadelphia weighs heavily Democratic, and the May 16 primary will likely determine who will be leading the city next with a close mayoral race.
A special election is also being held in the 163rd House District to replace Mike Zabel, who resigned after allegations of sexual harassment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
