Dare to Care: What to know about Pennsylvania’s upcoming Supreme Court election

In a little over a week, Pennsylvania voters will head to the polls for the 2023 election. Philadelphia will choose a new mayor, and Allegheny County will elect a new county executive. Often overlooked in off-year election cycles are judicial elections, where voters decide which judges should serve on the state’s highest courts.

Pennsylvania is one of a dozen or so states that elects its Supreme Court justices in partisan elections. This year, the faceoff between Republican Carolyn Carluccio and Democrat Dan McCaffery has drawn national attention (and money), because of the potential for the court to shape reproductive law in the commonwealth for years to come.

Contributor Natalie Bencivenga dives into why you should dare to care about the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court’s upcoming election, why these courts have so much power and the importance of caring when issues like abortion are on the table. Guest Jerry Dickinson, University of Pittsburgh School of Law Vice Dean and Constitutional law professor, weighs in.