2025 VOTING RESOURCES

RETENTION RACE FAQs

What is a Retention Race?
1. A retention race is a special type of election. In this election, voters decide if incumbent judges should remain on the bench for another term (10 years). Unlike other elections, there is no opponent for these judges; instead, voters will be voting yes or no. If a certain percentage of voters show that the judge should not be retained, the judge will lose their position on the bench and be replaced with a temporary appointee.

Who are the Justices running forretention in Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court?
1. Three Justices are up for retention. The justices are Christine Donohue, Kevin M. Dougherty, and David N. Wecht. All three originally took up their position on the bench in 2015.

How does this Retention Race impact me?
1. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court makes the final decision on a number of issues ranging from voting rights and abortion access to gun laws and labor disputes. These justices are serving 10-year terms, meaning they will have final say on a large number of issues that the state will face over the next ten years, including potential redistricting. These races often get very little statewide attention and see low voter turnout. So, every voter and vote matters tremendously.

What do the State Supreme Court and Superior Courts do for workers?
1. The courts play a critical role in protecting workers' rights across the state. If an employer violates any of the established labor laws, workers have the right to sue, and the courts will decide the outcome of the case. Justice Wecht, Justice Donohue, and Justice Dougherty all were key votes in upholding Governor Tom Wolf’s executive order allowing unions the right to contact home care workers. This opened the door for unions who were interested in organizing the some 20,000 at-home care workers, and others interested in having higher wages and better working conditions. That was just one of the several decisions the Justices made to protect workers and strengthen labor laws across the Commonwealth.

Are retention races partisan?
1. No, the retention race is not partisan. The judges do not run along any political party label. Voters are encouraged to vote based on the judges' ethical background, ethics and previous performance.

Photo: Maggie Mullooly | Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO