Plenty of choices
in the Nov. 6 elections

The ballot for Tuesday’s election will be filled with city and state judicial candidates looking to join the bench and sitting judges hoping to keep their jobs.
Meanwhile, voters will choose candidates for relatively low-profile city offices and decide on four ballot questions.
In a couple of races, incumbents are unopposed.
In the race for three seats on Philadelphia Traffic Court, there are six candidates. The Democrats — Willie Singletary, Bob Mulgrew and Mayfair’s Mike Lowry — are favored.
The Republicans are Mayfair’s Scott Cummings, Bernie Strain and Fox Chase’s Fred Mari. They are hoping to capitalize on the fact that Singletary was wanted for thousands of dollars in moving violations, including driving without a license, at the time of his primary victory. He has since paid the fines.
Traffic Court Judge Thomasine Tynes is seeking another term in a retention vote.
Philadelphia voters will elect two Municipal Court judges. The only candidates are Democrat Jacquelyn Frazier-Lyde, daughter of former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier, and Joseph O’Neill, who will appear on the Democratic and Republican tickets.
Municipal Court judges facing retention votes are Georganne Daher, Teresa Carr Deni, Deborah Griffin, Ronald Merriweather, Wendy Pew and Louis Presenza.
Five candidates are vying for four seats on Common Pleas Court. They are Democrat Linda Carpenter, Republican Joyce Eubanks and three candidates with the nomination of both parties: Alice Beck Dubow, Ellen Green-Ceisler and Mike Erdos.
Judges hoping to win retention for another term on Common Pleas Court are Mark Bernstein, Gary DiVito, John Herron, Darnell Jones, Barbara Joseph, Shelley Robins New, Rosalyn Robinson, Peter Rogers, Teresa Sarmina and Edward Summers.
Statewide, voters will choose three judges for Superior Court. The Democratic candidates are Pittsburgh lawyer Christine Donohue, and Common Pleas Court Judges Ron Folino of Allegheny County and John Younge of Philadelphia. The Republicans are Common Pleas Court Judges Cheryl Allen of Allegheny County and Bruce Bratton of Dauphin County and suburban Pittsburgh lawyer Jackie Shogan.
Three Superior Court judges are facing retention votes. They are Joan Orie Melvin, John Musmanno and Correale Stevens.
On Commonwealth Court, three judges are up for retention. They are Bonnie Leadbetter, Bernard McGinley and Doris Smith-Ribner.
In Philadelphia, voters will choose three city elections commissioners. The incumbents are Democrat Marge Tartaglione of Oxford Circle and Republican Joe Duda of Parkwood. The major-party challengers are Democrat Anthony Clark, who beat incumbent Edgar Howard in the primary, and Republican Patrick Carroll, of Fox Chase. The Green Party’s Lewis Harris is also in the race.
In the race for the three city row offices, the Democratic incumbents are heavy favorites.
Register of Wills Ron Donatucci faces Republican Dan Salvatore.
Sheriff John Green is being challenged by independent Jacque Whaumbush.
Clerk of Courts Vivian Miller takes on Republican John Featherman.
Two members of City Council are assured of another four-year term because they have no opposition. They are Democrats Darrell Clarke (5th dist.) and Marian Tasco (9th dist.).
Philadelphia voters will decide on three proposed changes to the Home Rule Charter and a bond issue. They read:
• "Shall the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to require council members to be residents of the districts from which they were elected for at least one year prior to their election?"
• "Shall the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to create a Public School Family and Child Advocate who will act as an advocate for public school children and their families with respect to all educational and related matters?"
• "Shall the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to create a Handicapped and Disabled Advocate who will act as an advocate for all Philadelphians with respect to all matters affecting handicapped and disabled people?"
• Should the City of Philadelphia borrow $55,090,000 to be spent toward capital purposes as follows: Transit; Streets and Sanitation; Municipal Buildings; Parks, Recreation and Museums; and Economic and Community Development?"
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. To find the location of specific polling places, call the city voter registration division at 215-686-1505 or the Committee of Seventy toll-free line at 1-866-268-8603. ••