The court’s decisions include instructing officials to toss out thousands of mail ballots with missing or incorrect dates on the outer envelopes, disqualifying thousands of ballots with missing inner envelopes, and letting counties use ballot drop boxes at their own discretion. In recent years, the court has handed down major rulings interpreting Pennsylvania’s Election Code. Justices on Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court get the final say on cases that are appealed up through the commonwealth’s two other appellate courts, which means they often decide whether to uphold or overturn decisions from governors and the state legislature. “They rarely would handle a landlord-tenant case, but … would decide a case about voting or redistricting.” “The Supreme Court is the ultimate decider of law in Pennsylvania but most people don’t have everyday interaction,” said Deb Gross, president and CEO of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, a nonprofit that educates people about Pennsylvania’s judicial system. In recent years, the court has decided cases on reproductive rights, mask mandates, and election disputes. The state Supreme Court takes on relatively few cases, but its rulings can have a major impact on politics and policy in Pennsylvania. >Register to vote, change your registration, request a mail ballot, and more at vote.pa.gov While the eventual winner of the race won’t change control of the court, a Republican victory could bring the party closer to retaking the majority it lost nearly a decade ago. One seat has been vacant since the death of former Chief Justice Max Baer, who occupied the bench for nearly two decades.

The seven-member court currently comprises four Democrats and two Republicans. (Unaffiliated and third-party voters can, however, vote on ballot questions, other referendums, and special elections during a primary.) The state’s primaries are closed, meaning only registered Democrats and Republicans can vote for candidates during these spring contests.

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