Haverford students vote in Delaware County, Haverford Township district 05, precinct 03.Their polling location is either the Swan Multipurpose Room, the GIAC Building on campus, or St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. A sample ballot can be found here.
Judge of the Superior Court
Brandon Neuman, Democratic Candidate
Maria Battista, Republican Candidate
The Superior Court handles appeals of criminal and civil cases from the Court of Common Pleas. All appealed criminal matters go to the supreme court. It is a ten year term, voters may select one candidate.
Brandon Neuman, the Democratic candidate for the open seat in the Superior Court, is currently serving on the County Court of Common Pleas in Washington County, and previously served on the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for four terms. Neuman helped author the Debbie Smith Act (2023), providing funding to state and local governments to help eliminate backlog of rape kits. In 2024, he ruled in a county court case that Washington County should notify voters of errors in their mail in ballots to prevent them from not being counted.
Maria Battista, the Republican candidate for the Superior Court’s open seat, previously ran in 2023 and is running again this year. She has been an assistant district attorney in multiple Pennsylvania counties, and has held positions in the Pennsylvania departments of Health and State. She has a law degree and a PhD in education. Her experience is especially extensive in criminal and family matters.
Daniel Wassmer is running as a Liberal on the ballot in order to introduce a nonpolitical, third party option to the race. He has been an attorney and was a solicitor in Bucks County.
Judge of the Commonwealth Court
Stella Tsai, Democratic Candidate
Matt Wolford, Republican Candidate
The Commonwealth Court handles civil cases of state and local governments and agencies. It is a ten year term and voters may select one candidate.
Stella Tsai is running for the opening in the Commonwealth Court, and is currently sitting on the bench of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, in the orphan’s court division, but has also served in divisions having to do with medical, electoral, and estate cases. She has been an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and used to be a private-practice attorney.
Matt Wolford is the Republican candidate for the Commonwealth Court seat, and currently owns a law office where he works for the private-sector. He has previously worked in the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and many of the clients he works for now are energy companies and landowners working to comply with environmental laws. He has served as an Adjunct Professor at Gannon University.
Judge of the County Court of Common Pleas
Jack Stolsteimer, Democratic Candidate
Mike Power, Democratic Candidate
Dominick Spigareli, Republican Candidate
Frank Zarrilli, Republican Candidate
The Delaware County Court of Common Pleas is a trial court that hears appeals from minor court cases. It is a ten year term and voters may select two candidates.
Jack Stolsteimer, one of the two Democratic candidates for the Court of Common Pleas, is a District Attorney for Delaware County and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Delaware County Bar Association. He is founding member of Delco Coalition for Prison Reform (DelcoCPR), an informal collective focused on improving conditions of prisons in the county.
Mike Power founded his own law firm in Delaware County in 1995, advocating for consumers who have bought defective vehicles under the Lemon Law. He has been a Zoning Hearing Board solicitor in Darby Borough. He has been involved with the Delaware County Democratic Committee (Delco Dems) as their treasurer up until 2024.
Dominick Spigarelli is a Republican candidate and has served as the Delaware County District Attorney’s Officer for over two decades. He has experience supervising the Juvenile Division disciplinary programs, and was previously an instructor at the Delaware County Community College Police Academy.
Frank Zarrilli has been the Deputy Director of the Delaware County Public Defender’s Office for the last eight years. He has handled civil and criminal cases. He has served on the Upper Darby School Board, and has been an Arbitration Panel Member. He is an Adjunct Professor at Delaware County Community College.
County Council
Joanna Phillips, Democratic
Richard Womack, Democratic Candidate
Liz Piazza, Republican Candidate
Brian Burke, Republican Candidate
The County Council is a five-member board that is responsible for legislature and administration within the County governing system. They are in charge of the county budget. It is a four year term, voters may select two candidates.
Joanna Phillips is the current Delaware County Controller on her second four-year term, where she handles financial transactions. As Controller, her and her staff have created a Waste, Fraud and Abuse Hotline and publicized the County’s financial reports. She is an attorney with the national law firm Ballard Spahr LLP and a member of the Urban Land Institute, a nonprofit research organization dedicated to real estate and land development in communities.
Richard Womack currently serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Delaware County Council and is running for reelection. During his last term, he helped form the county’s health department and deprivatize the county prison. He previously served as an advisor with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), a federation of labor unions. He is the Chair of the Darby Township Democratic Party.
Liz Piazza has worked in the legal sector, holding a supervisory position in the Family Law Division of Delaware County. She previously taught as an Adjunct Professor at Delaware County College in the Paralegal Program, and worked in the private sector running a landscaping business. She ran for State Representative in 2024. Her focuses according to the Delaware County Republican Party website include “safety, security, education, and lowering taxes”.
Brian Burke is running as a Republican for County Council, though previously he held a seat as a Democrat in the Upper Darby Township Council, Brian Burke is now running for a seat in the County Council as a Republican alongside Liz Piazza. He wants to lower County Council spending in order to alleviate taxpayer burden, citing the establishment of the health department and the George W. Hill Correctional Facility’s deprivatization as examples of previous overspending.
Sheriff
Siddiq Kamara, Democratic Candidate
Robert Adams, Republican Candidate
The County Sheriff operates the county jail and oversees public safety, along with carrying out the orders of the Court of Common Pleas. It is a four year term, voters may select one candidate.
Siddiq Kamara decided to run for sheriff after his eight-year-old cousin was killed in 2021 due to the actions of law enforcement. He has been a Police Officer, a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard, and has worked with the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, specializing in drug investigation and control. He aims to improve deputy training and work to build trust between the law enforcement and the county through community-based initiatives.
Robert Adams has been working in the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department for 33 years, and helped to create the Sheriff’s K-9 unit. He aims to increase deputy training opportunities while keeping taxes low.
Delaware County Controller
Louis F Rosenthal, Democratic Candidate
Tommy Feldman, Republican Candidate
The county Controller supervises the financial affairs of the county and the “collecting, receiving, or disbursing” of county funds, according to the Delaware County website. The count controller is responsible for managing accounting, vendor invoices, internal audit, payroll, and retirement for the county. It is a four year term, voters may select one candidate.
Louis F Rosenthal has experience in international and local commercial and investment banking, according to his website. He plans on focusing on reducing waste, being more transparent, and improving daily life through better infrastructure and public safety.
Tommy Feldman is currently a Senior Tax Accountant, as well as the head SALT tax advisor for HT Aerospace and Hilitron Technologies. According to his website, he is focused on reducing taxes and making sure they are not “fraudulently spent”.
Delaware County Register of Wills
Vincent Rongione, Democratic Candidate
Meaghan Wagner, Republican Candidate
The Register of Wills resides over will disputes, as well as petitions regarding things such as copies and revocations of wills. They are also the Clerk of the Orphan’s Court and issue marriage licenses for the county. It is a four year term, voters may select one candidate.
Vincent Rongione has experience as the Chief Administrative Officer in Upper Darby, as well as as Director of Communications and Special Projects on Capitol Hill. Rongione was also the Southeast Delegation Director in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Meaghan Wagner has been a councilwoman for Upper Darby’s 1st district since 2021. Prior to that, she spent 15 years as Delaware County’s Assistant District Attorney.
School Director of the Haverford School District
Kimberly McKay, Democratic Candidate
Nicole Snyder, Democratic Candidate
Latanya S. H. King, Democratic Candidate
John Flagler, Democratic Candidate
The Haverford Township School District is led by a Board of Directors comprising nine members who each serve a four-year term. This year, four candidates will be elected to the board, which could include any of the four candidates running or write-ins. The board hires and evaluates the District’s superintendent, sets the District’s fiscal and educational policies, approves the annual budget, and votes on school matters in consultation with the District’s educational leaders. All candidates on the ballot are listed as Democratic/Republican candidates, yet all publicly identify as Democrats and are part of the Haverford Township Democratic Party. As such, this race is far less contentious than the equivalent School Board race for Lower Merion Township.
Kimberly McKay has stated publicly that she is a Democrat, despite being listed as a Democratic Republican candidate on the ballot. She has served as a Director on the Board for the past four years. She has worked for 20 years as a social worker, first as a therapist for children and families and then administering training programs for school staff. In addition to her role on the Board, she is also currently teaching full-time in higher education. She also “served as the board’s representative to the district’s Wellness Committee and liaison to the Delaware County Legislative Council and Delaware County Community College.” Her focus is largely on student and teacher mental health, saying the most pressing issue in the District today is “balancing the academic and emotional needs of our students as they transition back to full-time in-person learning and to support our teachers and staff.” She also cited diversity, equity and inclusion as key priorities.
Nicole Snyder is a parent in the District with a Master’s Degree in Special Education. She currently serves as the Assistant Director of Donor Relations at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation. Her key campaign issues include “promoting equity, academic excellence, and meaningful growth opportunities for every student in Haverford Township.”
Latanya S. H. King is the current president of the Haverford Township School Board and a parent in the District. Her realms of professional experience include psychotherapy, higher education, human factors research and business administration. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Her primary campaign focuses are promoting inclusive environments for students and equitable access to resources.
John Flagler is currently an English teacher in the School District of Philadelphia and a parent in the Haverford Township School District. He also coaches local youth baseball. His primary campaign focuses include “upholding Haverford’s tradition of academic excellence while ensuring that every student is seen, supported, and empowered.”
Voters may select up to four candidates.
Haverford Township Auditor
Ross Anderson, Democratic Candidate
John Howard, Republican Candidate
The Auditor is in charge of auditing the finances and records of the Township. They conduct a “monthly postaudit of the financial accounts and reports of the township” and serve as a sort of financial watchdog, directing the correction of any mistakes. They may also make recommendations for the financial management of the township. It is a four-year term.
Ross Anderson previously served as the Auditor from 2017 to 2021. He holds an MBA and has substantial experience as a CPA and financial project leader. He does not have a campaign website or any clearly publicly declared campaign promises.
John Howard, whose campaign is primarily run on his social media, where he describes what he sees as immense issues with the current finances of the township and areas where major reform is needed. He names under staffing and overspending of unrestricted funds as some of the issues he plans to address. He does not have an official campaign website.
Voters may select one candidate.
Judge of Election
Faye Goldman, Democratic Candidate
The Judge of Elections is responsible for running polling places. Candidates must live in the election district they are running for.
Faye Goldman is the only candidate running for Judge and does not have a campaign website.
Inspector of Election
Keith Barnes, Democratic Candidate
The Inspector of Elections is responsible for checking voter registration and ensuring the election is carried out correctly. Candidates must live in the election district they are running for.
Keith Barnes is the only candidate running for Inspector and does not have a campaign website.
Retention of Supreme Court Judges
Christine Donohue, Democratic Candidate
Kevin M Dougherty, Democratic Candidate
Davide Wecht, Democratic Candidate
Candidates need a simple majority in order to continue their term. Since this system was adopted in 1968, only one justice has ever lost a retention election, when Russell Nigro was voted out in 2005. If a candidate were to lose a retention vote, democratic Governor Josh Shapiro would nominate a temporary replacement. This replacement would have to be confirmed by the state senate, which is currently majority Republican, and then voters would pick a long term replacement in 2027. If there is a deadlock where Shapiro and the Senate cannot come to an agreement on a replacement, the seat could stay open until the 2027 judicial election, which could disrupt court decisions. As of right now, the Supreme Court is made up of five Democrats and two Republicans. If all the candidates up for retention are voted out, this would leave the court split between two Democrats and two Republicans. Voters may select to retain or not retain the judge.
Prior to being elected Supreme Court judge, Christine Donohue was elected as a Superior Court judge in 2007 and before that had a private practice since 1980. As a Supreme Court judge, she has written opinions upholding Pennsylvania’s no-excuse mail voting law, as well as allowing the use of Medicare funds for abortion.
Previously, Kevin M Dougherty was appointed to the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas in 2001, and elected to it in 2002. According to his website, he focuses on reforming the juvenile justice system, as well as on better accommodating autism and behavioral health issues in the courts.
Before being a Supreme Court judge, David Wecht began serving the Court of Common Pleas in 2003, and the Superior Court in 2012. His website emphasized his prevention of gerrymandering, as well as his support of the environment, education, and abortion.
All three candidates have been recommended for retention by the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
Retention of Superior Court Judges
Alice Beck Dubow, Democratic Candidate
The Superior Court reviews the decisions made by Pennsylvania’s county courts, and they are capable of overturning their decisions. Voters may select to retain or not retain the judge.
Beginning in 2007, Alice Beck Dubrow served on the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia, and has been on the Superior Court since 2016. She was recommended for retention by the state bar association.
Retention of Commonwealth Court Judges
Michael H Wojcik, Democratic Candidate
The Commonwealth Court is an intermediate appellate court. It is responsible for legal matters related to state governmental and regulatory agencies. It is also a trial court for lawsuits related to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Voters may select to retain or not retain the judge.
Previously, Michael H Wojcik was the solicitor for Allegheny County from 2004 to 2012, and prior to that had a private practice.
Retention of Delaware County Court of Commonwealth Pleas Judges
Margaret J Amoroso, Republican Candidate
Dominic F Pileggi, Republican Candidate
Anthony D Scanlon, Republican Candidate
Voters may select to retain or not retain the judge.
In 2012, Margaret J Amoroso was elected as township council of Middletown Township. Before that, she was chair on the Middletown Township Zoning Hearing Board from 2005 to 2012.
From 2002 to 2015, Dominic F Pileggi represented the 9th senatorial district in the Pennsylvania Senate and was the Senate Majority Leader from 2006 to 2014.
Previously, Anthony D Scanlon was the magisterial district judge in Springfield for 12 years. He also was the Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia 1985 to 1989, then joined the Delaware County Public Defender’s Office and was criminal trial attorney from 1990 to 2004.
