Pa. elections: Little buzz, big importance

For Pennsylvania political junkies, it's a tough year.

Just across the Delaware, the New Jersey governor's race sets up as the most intensely watched election in the nation Tuesday.

What's the best in the Keystone State? The contest for a Supreme Court seat. Or, in Philadelphia, it might be the probably lopsided elections for district attorney and controller. There's no denying these are important. But be honest: Some people would rather watch bowling.

At a recent meeting of the city election board, the three commissioners placed nickel bets on voter turnout. One said 20 or 21 percent; one said 20 percent; one said 13 percent.

In Montgomery County, election director Joseph Passarella is almost as pessimistic. But he said it would be a crying shame if few voters showed up.

With school board and municipal contests on the ballot in almost every community, he said, voters have plenty of reasons to care about the outcome - maybe more reasons than in a higher-profile election.

"These are the people that run their schools, set their taxes, run their communities," Passarella said. "Plus, with the judges [on ballots], these are the people who run our courts."

Outside Philadelphia, most Pennsylvania counties will elect row officers (treasurer, controller, sheriff, coroner, and the like).

On the ballot in many townships and boroughs will be nominees for supervisors or council members.

And auditor.

And tax collector.

And constable.

Let's see, what else?

In each precinct statewide, voters will select a judge of elections and an inspector of elections.

This so-called "off year" is the time in the election cycle when loads of state and county judges will be chosen.

The Supreme Court race, which pits Democrat Jack Panella against Republican Joan Orie Melvin, has gained attention. Each side has been hitting the air with (often negative) TV ads.

No less than Karl Rove, the former White House political guru for George W. Bush, said last week in the Wall Street Journal that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race had "national implications."

Republicans hope to gain momentum for next year's U.S. Senate and and House races in Pennsylvania by winning the court race.

"A GOP victory would indicate trouble for Democrats in a state Mr. Obama carried by 10 points," Rove wrote.

Though Democrats hold a 1.2 million-voter edge in registration statewide, a Franklin and Marshall College poll last week indicated the race is close.

Each side has also said the contest could be important to the remapping of congressional and legislative districts after next year's census. Whether Panella or Orie Melvin wins will determine which party has a majority on the Supreme Court.

Voters will also elect judges to two other appellate courts - four to Superior Court and two to Commonwealth Court, each one level below the Supremes.

In Philadelphia, voters will pick 11 new judges for Common Pleas Court, Municipal Court, and Traffic Court.

Common Pleas Court judges will be elected in most outlying counties.

Additional judges - already on the bench - are up for retention on a yes-or-no basis.

For the first time in 19 years, Philadelphia voters will pick a district attorney whose name is not Lynne Abraham. (She's retiring.)

Democrat Seth Williams and Republican Michael W. Untermeyer have each mounted spirited campaign. The problem for Untermeyer is that Democrats have a 6-1 advantage in registered voters. Republicans haven't had a sniff of success at the citywide ballot box in - well, a long time.

The same problem goes for Republican Al Schmidt in his bid to oust Democratic City Controller Alan Butkovitz.

In the suburbs, one of the more interesting contests is the election for district attorney in Bucks County. Republican David W. Heckler will face off against Democrat Chris Asplen in a battle to replace Michelle Henry, who was appointed two years ago but decided not to seek a full four-year term.

Polls will open statewide at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.