Fields shrink for judicial offices
Court candidates withdraw from races after pulling low ballot positions in random drawing
This post has been modified.
The field of Democratic candidates for vacancies on Philadelphia courts has shrunk significantly, with 20 lawyers giving up their races for Common Pleas Court or Municipal Court, or both, after getting low ballot positions in the random drawings conducted by state election officials last week.
The withdrawals leave 25 attorneys going after six nominations for Common Pleas Court, and a dozen competing for three vacancies on Municipal Court.
The field for Philadelphia Traffic Court is also down, to 25 candidates for three Democratic nominations. None need law degrees, or even high school degrees.
Wednesday was the deadline for candidates to make their own withdrawals from the race. Additional withdrawals may continue, but from now on, anyone will need the approval of Commonwealth Court to get off the ballot before the May 21 primary election.
As of Thursday, here are the lists of Democratic judicial candidates at all levels, in ballot order:
Common Pleas Court (6 vacancies): Anne Marie Coyle, Tracy B. Roman, Vince Giusini, Timika Lane, Sierra Thomas Street, Joe Fernandes, Daniel D. McCaffery, Giovanni Campbell, Katie Scrivner, John J. O'Connor Jr., Dawn M. Tancredi, Kenneth J. Powell Jr., Frank Bennett, Rania Major, Chris Mallios, Deborah D. Cianfrani, Leon A. King II, Derrick W. Coker, Conor Corcoran, Fran Shields, James C. Crumlish, Jon Marshall, Daine A. Grey Jr., Sean P. Stevens, Stephanie M. Sawyer. Coyle and Powell are seeking Republican nominations as well.
Municipal Court (3 vacancies): Tracy B. Roman, Martin Coleman, Henry Lewandowski, Shoshana Bricklin, Robert M. Kline, Frank Bennett, Fran Shields, Joe Fernandes, Chris Mallios, Derrick W. Coker, Daine A. Grey Jr., Conor Corcoran.
Philadelphia Traffic Court (three vacancies): Warren Bloom, Lewis Harris Jr., Tia M. Seibert, Suzanne Harmon-Carn, Bobbie T. Curry, David Mamikonyan, Omar Sabir, Bruce H. Bailey, Donna Marie Laws, Inja Coates, Lynwood Savage, Ryan Mulvey, Tyrone T. Martin, Ashley Michelle Cook, Verna Ragan Tennant, Wayne E. Dorsey, Brigette A. Garvin Johnson, Kyle J. Sampson, Marnie Aument-Loughery, Robert Tuerk, Jose Figueroa, Holly A. Harris-Seidle, Keith Jackson, Sharif Ali, Donna J. DeRose, James Johnson. Ella P. Butcher and Christopher M. Vogler are seeking Republican nominations.
Click here for Philly.com's politics page.