Pennsylvania’s Municipal Election takes place on Tuesday, November 7th. In this odd-year election, the 2023 slate of races will be contested primarily on a local and county level. Franklin County’s 73 polling places will open November 7 at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Any voter in line by 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
All registered voters are eligible to vote in this election, regardless of party affiliation. For anyone voting in an election district for the first time, an approved form of identification (photo or non-photo) will be required. No other voters will be asked to present an ID.
Each Franklin County polling place is handicapped accessible. For voters who are visually impaired, an assistive marking device or lighted magnifier with bifocal lens will be available at every polling location.
To find your correct polling place, check your registration card for the location, or log onto the SURE Public Portal (www.pavoterservices.state.pa.us). Driving directions to voting locations are also available on this website.
For voters wishing to submit a mail-in or absentee ballot, that deadline coincides with in-person voting, ending at 8 p.m. on November 7. Officials ask that these ballots be mailed as soon as possible so there is ample time to receive them through the U.S. Mail. Voters can also hand deliver their ballots to the Franklin County Voter Registration Office, located at 272 N. Second Street, Chambersburg. Do not take mail-in or absentee ballots to your individual polling location; they cannot be accepted there.
To learn more about local candidates, a sample ballot is available at the county’s Voter Registration Office after November 2, or the 2023 ballot can be viewed on their website: franklincountypa.gov. Another organization called Franklin Votes (franklinvotes.org) also lists the Franklin County candidates online, including biographical information about some of them.
The Franklin County Election Board reminds all voters that no electioneering is permissible within the polling locations. They ask that individuals refrain from wearing or carrying any signs, buttons, or clothing that bear candidate endorsements or party affiliations which are clearly visible. Those who fail to abide by this rule will be asked to remove or cover up those partisan items before receiving a ballot.
For information about the balloting process, voters may watch an instructional video about voting a digital scan ballot at www.votespa.com.
For any additional questions regarding the 2023 election, call the Franklin County Voter Registration Office at 717-261-3886. November 7th Election results will be posted on their website: franklincountypa.gov. Statewide results can be viewed at: electionreturns.state.pa.us.
While most races will feature local/county candidates, three will decide statewide offices. Those Pennsylvania contests are:
(Candidates listed in alphabetical order)
JUSTICE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT
(Vote for 1)
Carolyn Carluccio (R)
Daniel McCaffery (D)
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is the state’s court of last resort, with a panel of seven judges. This high court was established in 1722 and is the nation’s oldest appellate court.
Candidate Carolyn Carluccio is the first female President Judge in the history of Montgomery County, elected in 2009. With her 14 years of judicial experience, Carluccio earned the Republican Party endorsement.
Candidate Daniel McCaffery is the son of Irish immigrants. He has worked during his professional life in public service- first in the U.S. military, then as a lawyer, and finally as a judge. With his prior experience as Assistant District Attorney and Judge of Superior Court, McCaffery is the Democratic nominee for the Supreme Court.
Campaign finance disclosures have revealed more than $7 million has recently poured into this race, a clear indication that both parties see this as a must-win office. Democrats currently hold a 4 to 2 advantage in the seven-seat court. The current vacant judgeship resulted when Chief Justice Max Baer, 74, died in 2022.
JUDGES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SUPERIOR COURT
(Vote for 2)
Maria Battista (R)
Jill Beck (D)
Timika Lane (D)
Harry F. Smail, Jr. (R)
Two Republicans (Battista and Smail) and two Democrats (Beck and Lane) square off in the race for two judgeships in one of Pennsylvania’s two statewide intermediate appellate courts. This court reviews most civil and criminal cases appealed from the courts of common pleas in Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. The Superior Court consists of 15 judges elected to 10-year terms.
JUDGE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA COMMONWEALTH COURT
(Vote for 1)
Megan Martin (R)
Matt Wolf (D)
The Commonwealth Court is the second of the two state intermediate appellate courts. This court is made up of nine judges who each serve ten-year terms. The court generally decides cases with three-judge panels that sit separately in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh.
Candidate Megan Martin first served as an attorney in the United States Navy. Martin was later the first (and only) woman to serve as the Pennsylvania Senate’s Secretary-Parliamentarian. Martin is the Republican nominee for the Commonwealth Court judgeship.
Candidate Matt Wolf is the current Supervising Civil Judge of the Philadelphia Municipal Court. Wolf is also a decorated 20-year U.S. Army veteran, earning a Bronze Star Medal, among other military awards. Wolf is the Democratic nominee for Commonwealth Court.
An upcoming article will detail the Franklin County and local municipal races also contested on November 7th.
