A few weeks ago, Equality PA sent out an email with their list of endorsed judges (copied below), but I am not sure the email stressed enough why getting out and voting for judges matters so much here in Pennsylvania as well as pretty much everywhere. The courts are an essential part of acquiring the full equal rights for lesbian, gay, bi, trans*, and queer persons. We saw this with marriage equality, we’ve seen it with non-discrimination protections, and other issues relating to same-sex couples and their families. On the other side, we need only look at Alabama and some other hold out states where judges are trying to use their power to stop marriage equality as well as other LGBTQ Equality efforts.
Election day is only a month away, and it is easy to think this election doesn’t matter since it isn’t a presidential election. But the reality is, this election as much if not more than any other is critical! We must see progressive and fair thinking judges elected, because future victories for the LGBTQ community will require judicial decisions favorable to our equality. Plan now to vote in this and every election. Plan to vote on November 3rd!
From Equality PA:
Courts can play a critical role in the lives of LGBT people.
The history of the state courts in Pennsylvania has not been favorable in the past on legislation regarding LGBT rights. In 2002 the state legislature passed a law to include LGBT people in hate crimes protections. That law was overturned in 2007 on a technical issue in the state courts. As a result, LGBT people still do not have hate crimes protections in Pennsylvania.
However, on the national level, the courts have been instrumental in ensuring that all loving couples have the freedom to marry in the past year.
That’s why it is so important that you vote for the judges who will be fair to LGBT people in Pennsylvania.
The Equality PA endorsed candidates running for election on November 3, 2015 are:
- Christine Donohue – Supreme Court
- Kevin Dougherty – Supreme Court
- David Wecht – Supreme Court
- Michael Wojcik – Commonwealth Court
- Dan Clifford – Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas
- Abbe Fletman – Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas
- Hugh McGough – Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas
- Mia Roberts Perez – Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas