By — Marc Levy, Associated Press Marc Levy, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/pennsylvania-reelects-supreme-court-justices-maintaining-democratic-majority Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pennsylvania reelects Supreme Court justices, maintaining Democratic majority Politics Nov 4, 2025 10:38 PM EST LIVE RESULTS: Pennsylvania Supreme Court 2025 election HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — All three of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices who sought reelection Tuesday will get another term, ensuring Democratic jurists keep their majority on the presidential battleground state’s highest court — one at the center of pivotal fights over voting rights, redistricting and elections. The result shapes the makeup of the seven-member court through the next presidential election in 2028. The three justices had been elected as Democrats, and voters were deciding whether to extend the court’s Democratic majority. Rejecting all three could have plunged the court into a partisan deadlock if the state’s politically divided government were to be unable to agree on temporary appointees to fill in. WATCH: Why Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court election has national implications Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht won new terms. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. All three were running in what is called a retention election, in which voters are asked to vote “yes” or “no” on whether to give current justices another term. They were not identified by party on the ballot. Terms are 10 years, though age limits can shorten that time on the bench. Reelecting them extends the Democratic majority — currently 5-2 — on a court that has been at the center of pivotal fights over voting rights, redistricting and elections. The court could again be called on to settle partisan battles over election laws ahead of next year’s midterm contests to decide the governor’s office and the U.S. House majority. Democrats need to gain just three seats in the 2026 elections to take control of the House. READ MORE: Democrat Corey O’Connor wins race for Pittsburgh mayor Traditionally, a retention campaign is an under-the-radar election. But in an era of increasingly polarized judicial elections, Republicans mounted a late-emerging campaign to defeat the justices. Democrats marshaled a reelection campaign with their allies, and received help from Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro. Defeating all three could have left the bench in a partisan 2-2 stalemate for two years, including through next year’s elections. In recent years, the court has made major decisions around voting and elections, necessitated in part by a politically divided and often stalemated state government. READ MORE: Democrats cruise to victory, and other takeaways from Election Day 2025 The justices in 2018 threw out a GOP-drawn map of Pennsylvania’s congressional districts as unconstitutionally gerrymandered and, four years later, again picked new boundaries after a stalemate in government. The court turned away GOP challenges to Pennsylvania’s expansive vote-by-mail law, which became a focal point of Republican efforts to overturn President Donald Trump’s loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Republican justices dissented. The justices also rendered verdicts in cases involving abortion rights and public school funding. Find more of our Vote 2025 coverage LIVE UPDATES: Election Day 2025 READ MORE: How to track 2025 election results WATCH: How a Mamdani win could change New York City and the Democratic Party WATCH: How the Virginia governor’s race became a microcosm of national issues WATCH: Why Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court election has national implications WATCH: A look at the New Jersey governor’s race and its national implications A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now By — Marc Levy, Associated Press Marc Levy, Associated Press
LIVE RESULTS: Pennsylvania Supreme Court 2025 election HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — All three of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices who sought reelection Tuesday will get another term, ensuring Democratic jurists keep their majority on the presidential battleground state’s highest court — one at the center of pivotal fights over voting rights, redistricting and elections. The result shapes the makeup of the seven-member court through the next presidential election in 2028. The three justices had been elected as Democrats, and voters were deciding whether to extend the court’s Democratic majority. Rejecting all three could have plunged the court into a partisan deadlock if the state’s politically divided government were to be unable to agree on temporary appointees to fill in. WATCH: Why Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court election has national implications Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht won new terms. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. All three were running in what is called a retention election, in which voters are asked to vote “yes” or “no” on whether to give current justices another term. They were not identified by party on the ballot. Terms are 10 years, though age limits can shorten that time on the bench. Reelecting them extends the Democratic majority — currently 5-2 — on a court that has been at the center of pivotal fights over voting rights, redistricting and elections. The court could again be called on to settle partisan battles over election laws ahead of next year’s midterm contests to decide the governor’s office and the U.S. House majority. Democrats need to gain just three seats in the 2026 elections to take control of the House. READ MORE: Democrat Corey O’Connor wins race for Pittsburgh mayor Traditionally, a retention campaign is an under-the-radar election. But in an era of increasingly polarized judicial elections, Republicans mounted a late-emerging campaign to defeat the justices. Democrats marshaled a reelection campaign with their allies, and received help from Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro. Defeating all three could have left the bench in a partisan 2-2 stalemate for two years, including through next year’s elections. In recent years, the court has made major decisions around voting and elections, necessitated in part by a politically divided and often stalemated state government. READ MORE: Democrats cruise to victory, and other takeaways from Election Day 2025 The justices in 2018 threw out a GOP-drawn map of Pennsylvania’s congressional districts as unconstitutionally gerrymandered and, four years later, again picked new boundaries after a stalemate in government. The court turned away GOP challenges to Pennsylvania’s expansive vote-by-mail law, which became a focal point of Republican efforts to overturn President Donald Trump’s loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Republican justices dissented. The justices also rendered verdicts in cases involving abortion rights and public school funding. Find more of our Vote 2025 coverage LIVE UPDATES: Election Day 2025 READ MORE: How to track 2025 election results WATCH: How a Mamdani win could change New York City and the Democratic Party WATCH: How the Virginia governor’s race became a microcosm of national issues WATCH: Why Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court election has national implications WATCH: A look at the New Jersey governor’s race and its national implications A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now