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Candidates Gear Up For Off-Year Election In Pa.

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Nov 2, 2009 8:06 pm US/Eastern

Candidates Gear Up For Off-Year Election In Pa.

LINK: Election Day Resources/Guide

Reporting
Jon Delano
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― It's called an off-year election because it doesn't feature those big races like president, governor, or Congress.

But the people you elect Tuesday are the ones who provide your local services, raise your school property taxes and decide if you go to jail or not.

And one statewide race is getting uglier by the hour.

Who would have thought that a race for the state Supreme Court would be one of the nastiest in state history?

Republican Campaign Ad: "Panella's lack of attention hurt our children. Panella didn't protect our kids, and he hasn't earned our vote."

Democratic Campaign Ad: "Warning for women. Beware of Supreme Court candidate Joan Orie Melvin. Melvin wants to take away our rights."

If you really believe this, Democrat Jack Panella hurts children while Republican Joan Orie Melvin hurts women.

It's all part of a negative campaign by two highly-rated judges whose victory will determine which party controls the state Supreme Court.

Statewide, voters will also pick two Commonwealth Court judges from four candidates -- Democrats Barbara Behrend Ernsberger and Linda Judson and Republicans Patricia McCullough and Kevin Brobson.

And nine candidates are running statewide for Superior Court -- Democrats Robert Colville, Kevin McCarthy, Anne Lazarus, and Teresa Sarmina -- Republicans Judy Olson, Sallie Mundy, Temp Smith, and Paula Ott -- and Libertarian Marakay Rogers.

Throughout the state, voters will also elect county judges, some county officials and many school board directors and municipal officials most likely to raise and lower taxes.

And in Pittsburgh, Luke Ravenstahl wants a four-year term while challengers Franco Dok Harris and Kevin Acklin say they'll win because voters want change.

"We're confident that the voters will recognize the wonderful things that are happening in Pittsburgh," notes Ravenstahl.

"If everyone, as I said, who we've talked to and knows we can do better shows up to vote, I'll be the next mayor," says Acklin.

"We're going to win tomorrow," adds Harris. "We're going to shock a lot of people. Can't wait to hold up the 'Dewey defeats Truman' headline and see on Wednesday morning the Immaculate Election."

The Immaculate Election?

Well, we'll see if that runs in the family.
 
The big news tomorrow may be how few people bother to vote.

Election officials think that perhaps has many as 70 to 75 percent won't bother to vote.

Since it's these local officials who affect our lives and taxes the most, that's strange if not surprising.

For those who do vote, the polls open tomorrow at 7 a.m. and close at 8 pm.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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