Phila. judge Lazarus confirmed as election winner

HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania's first-ever statewide recount has confirmed that Democrat Anne E. Lazarus of Philadelphia won the last of four open seats on Superior Court in the Nov. 3 election, state officials said yesterday.

Lazarus, a Common Pleas Court judge, prevailed over the closest runner-up, Allegheny County Court Judge Robert Colville, by 2,087 votes, the Department of State announced.

Lazarus became the only Democrat to win a seat on a statewide appellate court this year.

Initial returns indicated that she won, but three other candidates trailed her by less than one-half of 1 percent of votes cast.

Under state law, the recount was triggered by that margin, and by the fact that one of the trailing candidates - Pittsburgh lawyer Templeton Smith Jr. - did not waive his right to a recount.

Secretary of State Pedro Cortés said the recount "confirmed the election was conducted in a fair and accurate manner."

His agency attributed differences between the recount totals and unofficial returns (in which she led by 2,006 votes) to absentee, military overseas, and provisional ballots.

The recount's cost to taxpayers won't be known until all counties submit bills. The Department of State estimated the total at $1.3 million.

Nine candidates sought the four open seats on the 20-member Superior Court. Judy Olson, Sallie Mundy, Paula Ott and Lazarus received the most votes.

Lazarus, 57, has worked in both civil and criminal divisions and now serves on Orphans' Court.