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Reader, unflinching investigative reporting is an essential part of a healthy community, state, and Democracy. Every day, Spotlight PA seeks to hold power to account, track your tax dollars, and get real results.
Today, do your part by supporting Spotlight PA. A tax-deductible gift ensures this essential accountability journalism can continue into 2024.
Invest in journalism that gets results, and as a special bonus, gifts of any amount will be TRIPLED. Make a gift now, and thank you!
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A daily newsletter by  |
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| In today's edition: Vote counts, big winners, rage against the machines, cannabis question, new holiday?, and rave (retirement) reviews. |
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Democrat Daniel McCaffery has won a spot on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, ending a high-stakes race marked by attack ads and record-breaking spending that totaled tens of millions of dollars.
With this victory, Democrats have added to their majority on the seven-member court.
Groups that support abortion access backed McCaffery and framed the race as a must-win in a post-Roe v. Wade world. Political observers also called the race a litmus test for how this issue will drive voters in 2024.
Read more from Spotlight PA: Democrat Daniel McCaffery beats Republican Carolyn Carluccio.
MORE RESULTS: Democrat Matt Wolf, a Philadelphia municipal judge, will fill an open seat on Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court.He defeated Republican Megan Martin, a former legislative official.
As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, the AP had only projected one winner in the race for two open seats on Superior Court.
Democrat Jill Beck, a Pittsburgh-based attorney, won one seat. Democrat Timika Lane, a Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas judge, and Republican Maria Battista, a government attorney, were separated by roughly 40,000 votes. |
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NOTABLE / QUOTABLE
"I'm livid at the election folks and [Election Systems & Software]."
—Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure after a glitch flipped judicial retention votes there on Tuesday (full coverage below); Election Systems & Software machines were also at the center of a local snafu in 2019
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Make a tax-deductible gift to Spotlight PA and ensure this vital work can continue in 2024. Put another way, without you, Spotlight PA ceases to exist.
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You can also give via PayPal or Venmo, or send a check to: Spotlight PA, PO Box 11728, Harrisburg, PA 17108. |
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| » RESULTS REVIEW: Join us, the New Pennsylvania Project, and Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts on Thursday, Nov. 16 from 6-7 p.m. for a Q&A on the election results. Register for the event here and submit your questions to events@spotlightpa.org. |
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| Fall colors on the Schuylkill River Trail in Oaks, Montgomery County, via Elliott C. Have a photo you'd like to share with the whole state? Send it to us by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania. |
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 PROJECTED WINNERS: Democrats Cherelle Parker and Sara Innamorato are the projected winners in races for Philadelphia mayor and Allegheny County executive, respectively — roles with larger constituencies than some governorships. Public safety was an issue in both contests. Parker has struck a tough-on-crime tone in Philly, but polling suggests a city divided on the best approach.- RELATED: Working Families Party notches another historic Philadelphia City Council win, via Billy Penn
- Zappala wins 7th term in Allegheny County District Attorney race, defeating Dugan, via WESA
 VOTE FLIPS: A widespread glitch in Northampton County on Tuesday saw split votes in the retention questions for two Superior Court justices reversed by the machines, Spotlight PA and Votebeat report. The problem was attributed to human error and the machines stayed in use, with errors to be fixed in tabulation. County Executive Lamont McClure was "livid" but confident in the accuracy of the count.
 WEED VOTES: Four states bordering Pennsylvania allow recreational cannabis sales and Ohio was poised to become the fifth in Tuesday's election, per polling done in advance. That would have obvious implications for cross-border travel from Pennsylvania, the Altoona Mirror reports, while experts tell TribLIVE Pennsylvania's market would be twice as big as Ohio's if the option is ever approved here.- RELATED: Ohio voters enshrine abortion access in constitution in latest statewide win for reproductive rights, via the AP
 ELECTION HOLIDAY: Future Election Days would be federal holidays under a bill introduced by U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R., Pa.) and Debbie Dingell (D., Mich.) yesterday. Supporters say the change would boost turnout in a country with one of the lowest rates in the developed world. Critics of the idea say it could serve as "a free pass" for states to ignore other pro-democracy measures.
 CHILLING EFFECT: PublicSource reports the University of Pittsburgh has pressed charges against several nonstudent protesters who disrupted a public Board of Trustees meeting in September while advocating for more LGBTQ support. Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, called the charges extremely rare and capable of having a chilling effect. |
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GOLDEN AGE: Pennsylvania ranks high on U.S. News & World Report’s "2024 Best Places to Retire" list with Harrisburg (#1 overall), Reading (#2), Lancaster (#3), Scranton (#4), and Allentown (#5) dominating the competition. So why are so many Pennsylvanians moving to Florida?
CLOSE CALL: WTAE reports the home of former Braddock mayor and current borough council candidate Chardae Jones was hit with gunfire on Sunday. No one was hurt. Jones said the shooting happened after her boyfriend confronted someone who was breaking into cars near the house.
IN MEMORIAM: Pennsylvania's first-ever female coroner died over the weekend at the age of 93. FOX43 reports Kathryn Fourhman was York County's coroner from 1973-1998 and consoled 11,000 families.
BOOK MONEY: Olympian Johnny Weir stepped in after officials ended a $1,000 annual allocation to Quarryville's library over LGBTQ-friendly materials. Weir, a borough native, says he'll cover it as long as he can.
PA POP QUIZ: Pennsylvania's state insect is: A) The stinkbug B) The ladybug C) The house centipede or D) The firefly? ABC27 has the answer here. In other bug news: Warm winters mean more spotted lanternflies. |
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Unscramble and send your answer to scrambler@spotlightpa.org. We'll shout out winners here, and one each week will get some Spotlight PA swag. Answers submitted by 5:30 p.m. on issue date will be counted. E M H S O O T T O
Yesterday's answer: Plurality
Congrats to our daily winners: Mike B., Marty M., Stacy S., Barbara F., Beth T., Tracy S., Don H., Kevin H., Susan N.-Z., Becky C., Bob C., Kimberly D., Jon W., Christina M., Craig E., Karthik B., John E., Connie K., Joel S., Susan D., Vicki U., Daniel M., Joyce C., Wendy A., Maureen G., Tony W., Richard A., Leslie B., Sharon B., Tish M., Dan A., Jeffrey F., David W., Alan B., Jane R., Tom M., John P., Suzanne S., Kim C., Lynne E., Stanley J., Ben P., David T., and Becca S. |
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