Procrastinator’s guide to the 2023 November election in Philadelphia

Parker hails from Northwest Philadelphia, where she learned under previous political and community leaders like U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans and former Councilmember Marian Tasco — a mentor who hired Parker as an intern after she won a high school speaking contest. 

Parker served as a state representative in Harrisburg from 2005-2015, and then was elected Tasco’s successor as District 9 councilmember, a position she held for seven years before resigning to run for mayor.

Nearly two decades in office earned her many endorsements from former colleagues in office, as well as perennial political players like the city’s coalition of building trades unions. When the dust settled on the May Democratic primary, Parker’s strong ground game, reputation among voters, and weighty endorsements simply blew other competitors out of the water. Second-place finisher Rebecca Rhynhart came in nearly 10 points and more than 24k votes behind.

There have been few road bumps in Parker’s mostly quiet general election campaign — and any issues have mostly revolved around her perceived lack of campaigning. The campaign didn’t agree to an event with her opponent until mid-September, which led to questions about whether she would engage at all. Prior to that announcement. Her campaign was also caught discussing how to delay speaking with local journalists. 

Parker’s policy orientation has been towards building and sustaining “middle neighborhoods” — i.e. District 9’s working-to-middle class areas — hence the importance she grants to providing assistance for homeowners, commercial corridor beautification, and a cautious approach to development. She has also expressed a willingness to expand stop-and-frisk policing, and an openness to the Sixers’ proposal to build an arena in Center City.

Three priorities:

1. Implementing her safety plan, involving more police presence and surveillance cameras, consistent city services, and more. 
2. Starting up robust year-round schooling in the public education system. 
3. Reducing wage and business taxes.

→ Campaign site is here

Oh a Cobbs Creek native and a military veteran. An attorney, he served on Mayor Ed Rendell’s transition team and is a former assistant DA. He was the first Asian American elected to office in Philadelphia, serving nearly three terms on City Council, where he repeatedly won re-election without the local GOP’s endorsement.

Though the Philly Republican party did not endorse him in the May primary, it is now supporting his mayoral run. 

Oh’s legislative work included unsuccessful efforts to shut down the Republican-dominated Philadelphia Parking Authority and to commission an audit of the agency. He also tried to repeal the city’s soda tax, joined Asian-American business owners in fighting a bill targeting stop-and-go liquor stores, and authored legislation to make it harder for illegal squatters to take over homes. 

He’s also been criticized for being arrested for firing a gun in the air to scare off people near his home, for misleadingly claiming he was a Green Beret, and for accepting an illegal campaign contribution. DHS briefly investigated after Oh’s son was injured while they practiced judo together, and Oh then investigated DHS guidelines for reporting child abuse. He has come out against stop-and-frisk policing and does not look favorably on the Sixers arena proposal.

Oh has been much more active on the campaign trail than his Democratic counterpart, to mixed reviews. Generally, he’s received credit for being the more present candidate.

Three priorities:

• 1. Tougher criminal prosecution
• 2. Direct election of five school board members
• 3. Reduce business regulations and taxes

→ Campaign site is here

Ahmad is an executive, activist, scientist, and former bureaucrat from Mt. Airy who’s previously run for two state-level offices: lieutenant governor and auditor general. She served as deputy mayor for public engagement in Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration, and now leads the Pa. chapter of the National Organization for Women. Ahmad, who was born in Bangladesh, served on the National Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders under Obama.

Ahmad has said she wants to look at the city’s myriad issues through a “public health lens,” centering wellness in her approach to issues like gun violence, the environment, education, and housing. She would be the first South Asian American to serve on City Council.

→ Campaign site is here

In 2019, Richardson was the youngest woman ever elected to citywide office and the youngest Black woman ever elected to Council. She previously served as chief of staff for former Councilmember Blondell Reynolds Brown and as vice president of the Young Philly Democrats. She serves on the U.S. EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee.

Among her achievements she counts bills requiring public hearings on police labor contracts, cracking down on nuisance businesses, and integrating climate risk disclosure into city operations. She created a guidebook on apprenticeship programs and worked to have the Philly School District provide conflict resolution services. 

→ Campaign site is here

Harrity, who lives in Kensington, joined Council in November 2022 after winning a special election to replace Allan Domb. He has been political director of the state and city Democratic parties and was state Sen. Sharif Street’s executive director. He previously worked in union construction and as an auditor in the City Controller’s office, and he serves on the board of addiction nonprofit One Day at a Time.

When he took office, Harrity said his first priority was adding more surveillance cameras in high-crime areas to help police arrest violent offenders. Other stated priorities include increasing resources for education and job training to improve social mobility. 

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Landau, a Bella Vista resident, formerly directed the city’s Commission on Human Relations and Fair Housing Commission and has served as the director of law and policy for the Philadelphia Bar Association. Before that, she was a lawyer for Community Legal Services and a housing activist. If elected, she’d be the first openly LGBTQ city councilmember. Landau was the only non-incumbent Council candidate to be endorsed by the full Democratic City Committee, and she’s also been endorsed by the Working Families Party.

Landau bills herself as a longtime “fighter for Philly.” She says she’ll work to make sure “every person in our city” can have “the best we have to offer,” like an end to gun violence and access to safe and affordable housing.

→ Campaign site is here

Thomas won his seat in 2019, his third try. He was previously director of community affairs in the City Controller’s office, served as associate dean and athletic director at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School, and worked at nonprofit organizations. He co-founded a charitable foundation that puts on free summer youth programs and served on the Mayor’s Commission for African-American Men.

On Council he chairs the Streets Committee and is vice chair of the Children and Youth Committee. He hosts an annual Black-Owned Business Crawl, sponsored a Driving Equality bill that banned traffic stops for minor offenses, and introduced legislation to reward residents for reporting illegal dumping. He is endorsed by the Working Families Party.

→ Campaign site is here

Hasher, a Torresdale resident, is a longtime realtor, the owner of a Northeast Philly sports pub, and a youth sports volunteer and leader. His past political involvement includes serving as a ward leader, running for Congress in the 1990s, and managing a successful Council campaign. He was on the ballot in November 2022 in one of the at-large Council special elections. 

Hasher, a self-described moderate, lists public safety, supporting small businesses, and addressing the opioid epidemic as his campaign priorities. 

→ Campaign site is here

A Logan Square resident, Murray is a regional sales manager at O’Brien Systems, a storage manufacturer based in Montgomery County. In addition to being a ward leader, he serves on the boards of his neighborhood association and the Center City District. Murray was on the ballot in last November’s special election for Council at-large. He also ran for Council in 2019 and for a Pa. House seat in 2020.

Murray’s platform includes returning “law and order” to the city, getting rid of the soda tax in favor of alternative funding, and lowering the wage tax. 

→ Campaign site is here

Brooks became the first Working Families candidate ever elected to Philadelphia City Council in 2019. She previously worked for Easter Seals, a disability services organization, organized with Parents United for Public Education, and helped lead the Alliance for a Just Philadelphia. 

On Council, Brooks proposed a rent control law and a wealth tax, and has advocated for bills protecting people seeking abortions, mandating paid COVID-19 sick leave, and providing rental assistance. She has opposed wage and business tax cuts and called for more spending on crisis counselors rather than police. 

→ Campaign site is here.

O’Rourke, a pastor at Living Water United Church of Christ in Northeast Philly and longtime organizer, has served as the Pennsylvania Organizing Director for the Working Families Party. He’s also worked with POWER, an interfaith organization of Pennsylvania congregations that’s “committed to racial and economic justice on a livable planet.” O’Rourke ran for an at-large seat in 2019 alongside now-Councilmember Kendra Brooks.

O’Rourke plans to run on an agenda of “community safety and reducing gun violence, developing affordable and accessible housing, creating good jobs, and advancing climate justice,” per his campaign.

→ Campaign site is here

Squilla took office in 2012 and is serving his third term on Council. A South Philadelphia native, he previously worked as a systems analyst for the Pa. Auditor General’s Office.

In recent years he has sponsored bills creating a new “road diet” layout for part of Washington Avenue, banning single-use plastic bags, and tightening oversight of Airbnb rentals, and he co-sponsored renewal of the LOOP tax relief bill for longtime homeowners. He’s proposed mandating sprinkler systems in all tall buildings to put out fires, and has voiced support for the Sixers’ proposal to build a new arena on Market Street, which is in his district. He also plays Santa Claus in Franklin Square’s holiday celebration. 

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First elected in 2011, Johnson is running for his fourth term representing his native Point Breeze and surrounding area. He came to public service after founding anti-violence org Peace Not Guns, and served as state rep from 2009 to 2012.

Johnson chairs Council’s Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention, and has made job training a priority while in office. He was acquitted on federal bribery charges related to an alleged consulting deal given to his wife in exchange for favorable zoning legislation — constituents said they’d reelect him anyway. He’s also seeking to become the next Council president.

→ Campaign site is here

Gauthier is an urban planner who grew up in West Philly. She worked at the community development nonprofit Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and served as executive director of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia and Fairmount Park Conservancy. 

Gauthier in 2019 surprised the political establishment by unseating longtime Councilmember Jannie Blackwell. Since then, she has become one of the city’s more activist lawmakers, focusing on affordable housing production, eviction prevention legislation, and protecting reproductive rights, among other issues. She is chair of the Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless.

→ Campaign site is here

Jones withdrew from the Democratic primary race after his candidacy faced legal challenges and later reentered as a third-party candidate. The founder and president of the West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative, a business association, he previously worked in business development for VestedIn, a community development financial institution in Philadelphia. He is a board member with A Greater Philadelphia and Philadelphia 250.

Jones has argued for subsidizing construction of affordable housing, rather than mandating inclusion of affordable units in large residential projects, more funding for police technology and forensics, charter school expansions, and incentives for companies to create jobs.

→ Campaign site is here

First elected in 2007, Jones is seeking a fifth term representing Northwest Philadelphia. He’s currently Council majority leader, a position he previously held from 2012-2016, and is seeking to be the next Council president. A graduate of Overbrook High School and Penn’s Fels School of Government, he has been appointed to several statewide boards, including the Pa. Human Relations Commission. 

While in office, he has introduced bills on community-driven economic development and on criminal justice reform measures, such as a rule allowing police to issue tickets instead of arresting people for minor offenses, and an expansion of the “Ban the Box” law restricting employer access to job applicants’ criminal background.

→ Campaign site is here

Young is an attorney who specializes in real estate, government affairs, and business law. He previously worked for retiring Council President Darrell Clarke, whom he is seeking to succeed, and is a partner at the Legis Group. Young is a ward committee member and served on the board of the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation.

Young has a decade-old history of offensive social media posts, which he said no longer represent his thinking. His agenda includes putting therapists and social workers in city schools, expanding judges’ role in aiding criminal defendants, and improving gun violence prevention programs. 

→ Campaign site is here

Driscoll, of Torresdale, is a former state representative who won a special election last year to replace former Councilmember Bobby Henon, who quit after he was convicted of corruption charges. Driscoll previously worked for Gov. Bob Casey Sr. and the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union.

His priorities include making more funding available for early education, creating jobs, developing the waterfront and attracting manufacturers to his district. He’s also focused on putting more cops in neighborhoods, cleaning streets, removing blighted properties and repairing streets and sidewalks. He opposes safe injection sites in Northeast Philadelphia.

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Lozada grew up in Hunting Park and lives in Northwood. She won a special election in November 2022 to succeed Maria Quiñones Sánchez, whose chief of staff she was for a decade. Lozada worked as director of community engagement for DA Larry Krasner and as vice president of community organizing and engagement at the social services provider Esperanza.

Last year she said she wanted to work on quality of life improvements and end the open public opioid use that plagues the district. She has co-sponsored bills restricting opening of supervised injection sites in most of the city, seeking to preserve affordable housing, and authorizing traffic-calming measures near schools.

→ Facebook page is here

Bass was first elected to represent Northwest Philly in 2012 and is running for a fourth term. She serves as Council’s deputy majority whip and is chair of two committees: Recreation and Cultural Affairs, and Public Health and Human Services. She was a policy advisor to former U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah and an assistant to state Sen. Allyson Schwartz.

On Council, Bass has championed quality-of-life improvement legislation, like increased regulation on clothing donation bins that often collect litter, and advocated for security cameras to be installed at rec centers and playgrounds across the city.

→ Facebook page is here

Phillips joined Council after winning a special election last year to succeed Cherelle Parker. A PhD student at the University of Massachusetts, he founded the mentoring program Youth Action as a teen. He has worked at Community College of Philadelphia and taught at a charter high school in Philadelphia.

His stated priorities include community policing, more responsive city services, beautification of 9th District business corridors, and working with block captains to provide resources. He co-sponsored legislation on traffic calming measures near schools, illegal truck parking, and enforcement against nuisance businesses.

→ Campaign site is here

O’Neill, Philly’s only Republican councilmember, is serving his 11th term. Before he was elected in 1979 he was a juvenile probation officer, law clerk in the Court of Common Pleas and attorney in private practice. He serves on the Philadelphia Airport Advisory Board and the board of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.

O’Neill has focused on constituent services and preventing urban-style development in his district. During his last reelection campaign, he said he was focused on “protecting neighborhoods, strengthening playgrounds, and making sure volunteer groups are recognized by the city.” In 2019 he tried and failed to ban roof decks and limit the height of homes in his district.

→ Campaign site is here

Masino is president and business manager of Sheet Metal Workers Local 19. He serves on the Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority, a state body that offers low-interest financing options to businesses. During the Nutter administration he was on the Department of Licensing and Inspection’s board of appeals and the Zoning Board of Adjustments.

Masino says he’ll push for business tax cuts, increases in police and teacher pay, more funding for police recruitment and salaries, and relaxed residency requirements for officers. He opposes the soda tax and supports the 76ers’ proposal to build an arena in Center City.

→ Campaign site is here

A commissioner since January 2016, Deeley was voted chair in December of the following year. As chair, she oversaw implementation of amendments to Pa. election law that led to a significant increase in mail voting at the height of the pandemic. She also supervised the purchase of 3,750 new voting machines and construction of a new Philly election center to enhance vote count speed. 

Her previous experience includes 12 years working for offices in the House of Representatives, as well as for the City Controller’s Office, where she directed community outreach efforts. During her tenure as commissioner, she has prioritized providing voter education training and resources. She was surrounded by a minor controversy last year when she wasn’t forthcoming about delays to mail ballots due to Council special elections.

Currently seeking her third term, Deeley has secured endorsements from former mayor Ed Rendell as well as Philadelphia Young Democrats, First Ward Democrats, and the American Federation of Labor.

→ Campaign site is here

Sworn in as commissioner in 2020, Sabir’s stated priority has been to enable greater participation by Philadelphians in the voting process. During his term, he created the Octavius Catto Taskforce to address voter apathy, and founded turnout promotion nonprofit Vote Philly Vote. He thinks better community outreach and marketing is key to accomplishing engagement goals. 

A graduate of Cheyney University and former union construction worker, Sabir previously served as senior staffer in the Office of state Sen. Vincent Hughes. Prior to his election, he was a campaign staffer for state Rep. Louise Williams Bishop, and worked for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania. 

Sabir was recently named one of the city’s most influential African Americans by the Philadelphia Tribune.

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Bluestein, a lifelong Philadelphian, has served as city commissioner since February 2022, when he was elected to replace his former boss, current Pa. Secretary of State Al Schmidt. He first joined the office in 2012 as deputy commissioner and in 2017 was promoted to chief deputy commissioner. 

The Working Families Party planned to run a candidate against Bluestein, but the campaign was cut short after the candidate was removed from the ballot for improperly filing financial disclosure forms. 

Bluestein’s priorities are ensuring the fairness, accessibility, and security of city elections and improving the voter experience for Philadelphians. He was the department’s chief integrity officer from 2018 to 2021, supervising quality control audits and investigations into election integrity. He is endorsed by the Republican City Committee.

→ Campaign site is here

Brady, a certified public accountant who lives in Northeast Philly, has 28 years of experience working in the City Controller’s office. She started out as an auditor trainee, worked her way up to be the city’s first female deputy controller of audit, and served as acting controller for three months after Rhynhart’s resignation.

Brady’s priorities for the controller’s office include investigating code violation enforcement in construction, auditing the city’s Anti-Violence Community Expansion Grant Program, and following up on the audit of the city’s HealthChoices Fund. She’s gotten tons of endorsements, including from a dozen open wards, several unions, and the Democratic City Committee, which signaled its intent to endorse her before she even resigned as acting controller.

→ Campaign site is here

Bashir, of Northeast Philly, is an accountant with degrees from several Philly colleges who’s also been a real estate investor, entrepreneur, and adjunct faculty member, according to a previous campaign website. He ran for U.S. Congress against Rep. Brendan Boyle last year, and two years before that, he ran for state House against the congressman’s brother, state Rep. Kevin Boyle.

If elected, Bashir says he would focus on fiscal transparency and efficiency in local government, and strongly emphasizes ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent in an open, effective manner. 

→ Facebook page is here

Sabatina has been an estate lawyer for over 30 years, which he believes sets him up well to serve as the head of the Register of Wills. Sabatina has also been a ward leader in Northeast Philly for three decades. Like other candidates, Sabatina wants to digitize the office’s records and offer “efficient service” to residents. 

Sabatina has the most endorsements in the race, including from the Democratic City Committee and a bevy of local unions including the FOP, Sheet Metal Workers Local 19, and Steamfitters Local 420.  

→ Campaign site is here

Holland is a Philly native who has worked in a range of different industries including as an administrative assistant for a GlaxoSmithKline predecessor and in the city’s behavioral health system. He is a U.S. Navy veteran and used to work for the Pennsylvania chapter of the Libertarian conservative nonprofit Americans for Prosperity, founded by the Koch brothers.  

He’s been active in the 35th GOP Ward for many years, and became ward leader in 2015.

→ Campaign site is here

Bilal is a former Philadelphia police officer who became the city’s first elected Black woman sheriff in 2020. She touts her work modernizing sheriff’s sales, improving the department’s hiring process, and suspending evictions during the early days of the pandemic.

But the office has continued to see scandals since she was elected: more than 200 guns reportedly went missing from the department, and a sheriff’s deputy was charged with selling two firearms used in the deadly shooting near Roxborough High School. Bilal has been accused of retaliating against staffers and reportedly tried to double her own salary. 

Since the primary, the City Controller’s Office has reported that more than 70 firearms are still unaccounted for, which Bilal refuted by saying the report lacked context for the conditions she faced when starting the job. The City Democratic Committee has endorsed her reelection bid.

→ Campaign site is here

Lavelle is a River Wards native, warehouse manager, and coach for youth sports teams, according to his LinkedIn profile. He ran for District 177 state representative in Northeast Philly last year and lost to the Democratic incumbent, Rep. Joe Hohenstein. 

A self-described “neighborhood guy,” his priorities are “transparency, accountability, and new hires,” and he says he stands out for his open-mindedness and for not being influenced by politics. The Philly GOP has endorsed him.

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McCaffery was elected to Superior Court in 2020 and was previously an assistant DA in Philly, an attorney in private practice in Montgomery County, and a judge in the Court of Common Pleas. He is active in Democratic politics and has been endorsed by the state party, a number of building trades and other unions, and Planned Parenthood. He is rated “highly recommended” by the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania bar associations.

→ Campaign site is here

Carluccio, of Montgomery County, has served as a Court of Common Pleas judge since 2009. She was previously an assistant U.S. attorney in Delaware and chief public defender in Montgomery County. She is rated “highly recommended” by the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and was endorsed by the state Republican party and the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation.

→ Campaign site is here

Beck, of Pittsburgh, is an attorney who has served as a law clerk in the state Superior Court and Supreme Court. She previously ran for Superior Court in 2021. She is rated “highly recommended” by the Pennsylvania and Pa. bar associations.

→ Campaign site is here

Lane, of Philadelphia, has served in the city’s Court of Common Pleas since 2013. She was previously a public defender and arbitrator, and chief counsel of the Pa. Senate’s State Government Committee. She is rated “highly recommended” by the Pennsylvania and Pa. bar associations.

→ Campaign site is here

Battista, of Clarion County, is an attorney who worked in the administration of Gov. Tom Corbett, for various state agencies, as a county prosecutor, and for the U.S. Navy. She is rated “not recommended” by the Pennsylvania Bar Association for not participating in the judicial evaluation process.

→ Campaign site is here

Smail is a Court of Common Pleas judge in Westmoreland County. He was previously solicitor for the Westmoreland Republican Committee and a member of the Republican State Committee. He is rated “recommended” by the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

→ Campaign site is here

Panella was elected in 2003 as a Democrat and is seeking a third term. He serves as president judge for the court, and in 2017 was awarded the National Visionary Voice Award by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. He is recommended for retention by the Pennsylvania Bar Association. 

One of Panella’s most notable opinions was a 2017 decision that held up a more than 1,000-year sentence against a man convicted of 20 years of molestation. 

A graduate of the Dickinson School of Law, Stabile worked as the managing partner at a law firm in Harrisburg before his 2013 election as a Republican. He is currently seeking a second term. 

In one of his most well-known opinions, which received national attention, Stabile reinstated charges against a former Amtrak engineer in a deadly 2015 Amtrak crash on procedural grounds. He is recommended for retention by the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

Wolf assumed office in the Philadelphia Municipal Court in 2018 before taking over as supervising judge of the Civil Division in September 2020. A decorated veteran currently serving in the Pa. National Guard, Wolf describes himself as a “champion for civil rights,” and promotes his pro-choice stance at the top of his campaign website. 

He has secured endorsements from the Laborers’ District Council, the Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters and Liberty City LGBTQ Democratic Club, as well as being recommended by the state and city bar associations.

During his tenure, Wolf has worked to highlight housing inequities, and helped institute an eviction diversion program preventing landlords from locking tenants out of their homes during the COVID pandemic.

→ Campaign site is here

Delaware-born \Martin made history as the first woman to serve as the Pa. Senate’s secretary-parliamentarian, a position she held from May 2012 to November 2022. Martin also served as the Pa. Senate’s Right To Know Law appeals officer, reviewing Senate RTKL appeals and providing legal opinions based on the law.

Beginning her career as a law clerk in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas, Martin later served in the administrations of two governors — Tom Corbett and Tom Ridge — before working as assistant counsel for the U.S. Navy’s Office of General Counsel. She names “faith, family, [and] hard work” as her guiding values. 

In addition to a recommendation from the Pennsylvania Bar Association, she has received endorsements from the Republican Party of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation.

→ Campaign site is here

Taylor-Smith is an assistant federal defender in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and is “highly recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar Association. A Central High and Temple Law graduate, She was an attorney with the Defenders Association of Philly for seven years. After eight years in private practice she moved to the Montgomery County Solicitor’s Office and then to her current role. 

→ Campaign site is here

Washington was appointed to the Court of Common Pleas last year, after a lengthy career spanning public and private roles. Washington was an assistant city solicitor from 2005-2009 before entering private practice, but has served as arbitrator for Common Pleas for over a decade. Recommended by the Philadelphia Bar Association, she worked as a volunteer settlement judge to help the system cut through its COVID-induced backlog.

→ Campaign site is here

Williams, a West Philly native, served as an assistant district attorney from 2014 to 2016, and was most recently Councilmember Curtis Jones’s legislation and policy director. Recommended by the Philadelphia Bar Association, Williams was described as a “major driving force” in crafting the bill that created the Civilian Police Oversight Commission, Philly’s police oversight body.

→ Campaign site is here

Yu currently works as a neutral arbitrator and mediator, and has previously worked in employee benefits and other employment litigation, as chair of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, and as voter protection director for the Pa. Democratic Party. She has been endorsed by the Democratic City Committee, the Working Families Party, and almost a dozen unions, and is “highly recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar Association.

→ Campaign site is here

Padova is a Philadelphia native who spent 30 years as a trial attorney before being appointed to the Court of Common Pleas in 2019. A supporter of reforming cash bail and promoting diversionary programs for nonviolent offenders, he is endorsed by many unions and the Democratic City Committee, as well as “highly recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar Association.

→ Campaign site is here

Lightsey worked in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office for about 17 years, focusing on criminal law and serving as the chief of the homicide/non-fatal shooting unit and juvenile division while she was there. She has been endorsed by the Democratic City Committee, the LGBTQ Victory Fund, and two unions, and is “highly recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar Association.

→ Campaign site is here

McLaughlin was appointed to the Court of Common Pleas last year, and currently oversees dependency law cases. Recommended by the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Philly native’s first gig was as an assistant district attorney for five years, before eventually starting a firm (McCullough, McLaughlin, Mincarelli & McCloskey) with coworkers. He worked there until his appointment.

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Garcia was born in Kensington, attended Duquesne University, and has been a civil litigation lawyer for 20 years. Garcia’s resume includes stints with major firms like AIG and Nationwide Insurance. Garcia is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar Association and endorsed by the Democratic City Committee. 

→ Campaign site is here

Caroline Turner was born in Germany as a British citizen, and first entered the workforce as a nurse in London. After moving stateside in 1998, she studied bioethics at Penn and law at Temple. Following that, she spent 11 years as a public defender in New Jersey before becoming a medical malpractice attorney for public injury firm Swartz Culleton PC, her current gig. Turner has been Recommended by the Philadelphia Bar Association. 

→ Campaign site is here

Brown, currently a union lawyer, has previously worked as a public defender and at the U.S. Department of Labor prosecuting companies that “forced people to work in unsafe conditions or failed to pay their employees properly,” according to her campaign website. She has been endorsed by the Working Families Party and several unions, and is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar Association.

→ Campaign site is here

Eisenhower, currently a judge on the Pa. Court of Judicial Discipline and counsel to Dilworth Paxson, LLP, is a Temple grad appointed to the court in 2019 by then-Governor Tom Wolf. His practice centers upon white collar criminal defense, internal investigations and compliance advice. He is also an adjunct professor at Temple’s Beasley School of Law. He ran for state attorney general in 2000 and 2004.

Billy Penn could not locate a campaign site for Eisenhower.

Ross is a lawyer, engineer and teacher who has worked at PECO Energy, as a high school math teacher in Philly, and on cases as varied as real estate transactions and the Enron litigation. He founded Legis Group LLC and previously served as a federal law clerk in the Southern District of Texas. Ross is a former local President of the National Society of Black Engineers and is a founding member and former co-Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Advancing Civics Education Committee. 

Billy Penn could not locate a campaign site for Ross.

Sandher practices family law at Sandher & Lehman, LLC, and is dedicated to “moving justice forward,” according to his campaign website. The Cheltenham native and Widener grad says “one of the only ways we can ensure fair justice for all is by ensuring our justice system has a diversity of leadership.” 

→ Campaign site is here

Allen has nearly 29 years of experience as a trial judge. A Lincoln and Temple University graduate, she first clerked for Hon. Julian King in Philly’s Civil Trial Division before working at the litigation departments for Conrail, Unisys, and SEPTA. Allen oversaw a notable defamation lawsuit in 2014 involving Johnny Doughtery, ruling the identity of an anonymous commenter be revealed. Allen is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar.

Before Campbell was appointed in 2014, he was an attorney in private practice. He is a graduate from Stony Brook and Temple University, and a  member of the Federal Bar Association – Criminal Defense Committee, and of the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. His public service includes teaching law in Philly high schools through Temple’s LEAP and the Pa. Bar Association’s Pro Bono Project. Campbell is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar.

Native Philadelphian Anne Coyle worked for 16 years in the homicide, computer crime, drugs, juvenile and government fraud units at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. She then became assistant chief of the major trials unit, before leaving to work as a family law attorney in South Philly. 

Lawyers note her pattern of “prosecuting from the bench”, and a controversial history of appointing special prosecutors to cases over the objections of assistant district attorneys, imposing heavier sentences than what prosecutors request, and her chambers taking too long to provide opinions to the Superior Court. She earned a rare “not recommended” rating from the Philadelphia Bar.

Djerassi has spent 21 years as an assistant district attorney and an attorney in private practices, holding assignments in the Juvenile Division, the Criminal Division, and the Civil Division. He is also one of over two dozen Common Pleas and lower court judges in Philly who double as landlords. The Inquirer reported his property company was “sued” for overdue bills and liens; a spokesperson from the business said the liens were addressed as soon as he discovered them. He is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar.

Before Fernandes assumed office in 2014, he was defeated in an election to the Philadelphia Municipal Court. Outside of his judicial career, he has spoken at Drexel about the family court system, and opened the Support Center for Child Advocates volunteer training workshop: “How to Handle a Child Abuse Case”. He is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar.

Ford comes from a family of doctors and was a bilingual science teacher in the Bronx before pursuing a career in law. She earned her J.D. from Rutgers University, and worked as an attorney focusing on corporate, family, and criminal law for private practice. She lists a “temperate” demeanor and the ability to maintain courtroom discipline as traits of a good judge.

Lane is a West Philadelphian who earned her J.D. at Rutgers in 2002. She has served as a legal intern for Philly’s District Attorney’s Office, a certified child advocate for the Center for Child Advocacy, and an assistant public defender for the Defender Association of Philadelphia. Currently, she is chief legal counsel for Pa. Sen. Anthony Williams. Lane is also running for election for judge of the Pa. Superior Court. She is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar.

O’Keefe received his J.D. from Widener University, and spent 33 years as a trial attorney before assuming office. Outside his career in law, O’Keefe was formerly a police officer and adjunct professor at Villanova University. He is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar.

Patrick received her J.D. from Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law in 1993. Before her twenty years as judge, she spent almost 10 years in private practice. Patrick recently ruled to keep the controversial Christopher Columbus statue on display in Marconi Plaza. She also made headlines when she lost her defamation lawsuit against The Daily Beast for their headline that characterized her as “linked” to QAnon. She is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar.

Street earned her J.D. from Temple Law, practiced as a Philadelphia public defender, and is a former chief counsel at Friends Rehabilitation Program. She sees herself as a “champion in combating racial disparities throughout the judicial community,” and is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar.

Wright earned her J.D. from the University of Maryland. Prior to assuming office in 2004, Wright worked in private law practice with her husband Edward Wright, specializing in general litigation, consumer bankruptcy, and criminal law matters. During her judicial career she has held assignments in the Civil Trial and Criminal Trial Division, alongside the Domestic Relations Branch of the Family Court. She is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar.

New York-born Thomson’s career began in 1985, working on criminal reform issues at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office before transitioning to the MTA. Since moving to Philadelphia 20 years ago, Thomson says she has contributed to projects such as the creation of the SEPTA Key Card and working with the city to provide support for asylum seekers. Currently an arbitrator for Philadelphia’s Compulsory Arbitration Center for civil actions, Thomson has also volunteered as a clerk for municipal judge Thomas Gehret. Thomson is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar Association.

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A graduate of Georgetown University and Drexel Law, Philadelphia native Osborne has over 10 years’ experience as a city prosecutor and claims to be the only candidate with both prosecutorial and defense experience, having joined the U.S. Army Reserve JAG Corps as a defense attorney. Since 2022, she has also been working with the School District of Philadelphia, investigating allegations of discrimination and harassment. Osborne is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar Association.

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Major ran under both the Democratic and Republican parties in the May primary, and is listed as a Republican in the November election. A graduate of the University of North Carolina with a J.D. from Samford University, Major has been practicing law for 35 years, she said, and at her own firm since 1997. She calls herself the only candidate with experience in all divisions of the municipal court. Her website touts her advocacy work for homeless and marginalized groups, in addition to her radio personality as “The Pitbull Lawyer.” Major was cited for contempt of court while practicing in 2013, but told Billy Penn it was for “defending a client” and that the charges were withdrawn.

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Marissa Brumbach was elected to Municipal Court in 2017. In December 2022, a complaint filed with the state’s Court of Judicial Discipline alleged nine counts of misconduct against Brumbach. The report claimed that she attempted to rule on traffic citations before the scheduled hearing date because she planned to be in Florida. However, Brumbach’s request to not preside because she would be in Florida wasn’t approved, according to the complaint.

Meehan was first elected to Municipal Court in 1993. He has presided over the Philadelphia Drug Treatment Court and the Philadelphia DUI Treatment Court. He also serves as co-chair of multiple committees, including the Municipal Court Criminal Rules Committee. Meehan was in private practice prior to his 1993 election, where he had an emphasis in criminal defense, bankruptcy, mortgage foreclosure, and election law. 

In one of Meehan’s most well-known decisions, he tossed charges against two police officer brothers who chased and beat a man with special needs after falsely accusing the man of tampering with cars in their far Northeast neighborhood. He is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar.

A Dickinson School of Law graduate, Moss has served as a Municipal Court judge since 2004. He was appointed supervising judge of the court’s Civil Division in 2008, and stepped down in October 2020 after lifting a moratorium on evictions during the pandemic that city officials said created a crisis for renters. He is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar.

Shuter’s current term has been surrounded by controversy. He is married to Marisa Shuter, the lawyer appointed by Municipal Court to officiate over evictions. Ethics experts have labeled the relationship as a conflict of interest as Marisa Shuter is paid to carry out evictions, and Shuter has presided over eviction cases as a Municipal Court judge. He is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar despite calls for his removal.

Simmons was first elected to Municipal Court in 2005. She is known for calling attention to racial resentment and tension inside courtrooms. In 2018, Simmons found a racist message in her robing room at the Criminal Justice Center that said she wouldn’t be the president judge and to “keep MC court great.” In 2020, Simmons and civil rights lawyer Michael Coard demanded the First Judicial District immediately address the systemic inequities in the court’s culture. Simmons is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar.

Williams was first elected to Municipal Court in 2011. He is a former deputy sheriff officer in Philadelphia and a U.S. Air Force veteran. A licensed CPA, he holds degrees from both Temple Law and Villanova Law. He is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Wolf was elected to Municipal Court in 2017. He is also running for Commonwealth Court judge. In the fall of 2020, Wolf became supervising judge of the Municipal Court’s Civil Division, and “guided” the court through the pandemic. He is considered the “architect” of the city’s eviction diversion program, and is “recommended” by the Philadelphia Bar.