WHYY
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Pennsylvania State Capitol building in Harrisburg, Pa. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo)
A proposed amendment to Pennsylvania’s Constitution currently making its way through the General Assembly is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Supporters of House Bill 38 say it is intended to give individual Pennsylvanians more of a voice in how statewide judges are elected. In reality, the legislation would disenfranchise all voters in the state by taking away much of their voting power to elect these judges.
Right now, all Pennsylvania voters can vote to elect the 31 judges who serve on the state Supreme Court, Superior Court, and Commonwealth Court. While many Pennsylvanians may not know their names, these judges make decisions that affect us all in myriad ways.