6 NEWS ELECTION COVERAGE: Voters decide local offices, judgeships

Pennsylvania voters headed to the polls to elect two new appellate judges and settle contests for thousands of local offices and judgeships.

Even though this is an off-year election, meaning no legislative or congressional offices being decided, there were still plenty of important local and county races.

Democrats grabbed an early lead in statewide balloting for two openings on Pennsylvania's appellate courts.

With returns from 48 percent of 9,239 precincts, Democrat David Wecht, an Allegheny County judge, was leading Republican Vic Stabile, a Harrisburg lawyer, for a seat on Superior Court with 61 percent of the vote.

 In a race between two Bucks County lawyers for an open seat on the Commonwealth Court, Democrat Kathryn Boockvar of Doylestown held a slim lead with 52 percent over Republican Anne Covey of New Hope.

Among the races on the ballot was control of county courthouses and voters selecting county commissioners. The campaigns centered on jobs, the economy and in Bedford County, taxes. Even though voter turnout across the state was low for the off-year election -- hovering around 20 percent turnout -- Bedford County election officials said turnout was three times higher than the norm.

While most voters told 6 News it was the county commissioner race that brought the large crowed in Bedford, many voters there said they didn't agree with property reassessments.

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