The LuLac Edition #3630, November 1st, 2017

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STATE JUDICIAL RACES

SUPREME COURT

JUSTICES FACING RETENTION

DEBRA TODD (DEMOCRAT-YES OR NO)

Todd is a justice on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. She was first elected to the court as a Democrat in 2007. Her current term expires on December 31, 2017. Justice Todd filed to stand for retention by voters in 2017. Todd received a campaign finance score of -0.54, indicating a liberal ideological leaning. This was more liberal than the average score of -0.02 that justices received in Pennsylvania.

THOMAS SAYLOR (REPUBLICAN-YES OR NO) 

Saylor is the chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He was first elected to the court as a Republican in a partisan election in 1997 and assumed office in January 1998. His current term expires on December 31, 2017.[ On January 6, 2015, Saylor was sworn into the office of chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He succeeded former Chief Justice Ronald Castille. Saylor's current term ends on December 31, 2018.
Saylor received a campaign finance score of 0.3, indicating a conservative ideological leaning. This was more conservative than the average score of -0.02 that justices received in Pennsylvania.
The study was based on data from campaign contributions by the judges themselves, the partisan leaning of those who contributed to the judges' campaigns, or, in the absence of elections, the ideology of the appointing body (governor or legislature). This study was not a definitive label of a justice, but an academic summary of various relevant factors. 

(BALLOTPEDIA, LuLac)

PARTISAN ELECTION, MUNDY'S SEAT

DWAYNE WOODRUFF (DEMOCRAT)

Woodruff is a judge on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Woodruff was first elected to the court in 2005 and was retained in 2015.[2] Woodruff ran for election to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2015 but was defeated in the Democratic primary on May 19, 2015.
Woodruff is running as a Democrat for election to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2017 Woodruff was retained to Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas with 79.86 percent of the vote on November 3, 2015.

SALLIE MUNDY (REPUBLICAN)

Mundy is a justice on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. She was appointed to the court by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf on June 13, 2016, to succeed Justice Michael Eakin, who resigned in March 2016.  Her appointment was confirmed by the Pennsylvania State Senate on June 27, 2016. Her current term ends on December 31, 2017.
Mundy's appointment term ends on December 31, 2017. In order to remain on the bench, she must stand for partisan election in 2017. A Pennsylvania tradition holds that interim justices do not run for election following appointment; however, Gov. Wolf specifically departed from tradition in Mundy's appointment, saying that he did not require her to promise not to stand for election and that he expected her to run.  When she filed to stand for election in her 2009 election, for Superior Court Mundy was endorsed by the National Rifle Association's Political Victory Fund and the Pennsylvania Business Council.

(BALLOTPEDIA, Philly.com, LuLac)