Chester County Candidates by Gender

At a reader's request I'm stepping just a bit out of my usual geographic boundaries and taking a look at Chester County candidates, as I've done with Bucks, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. The information listed here is taken from the Chester County Democrats website (http://chescodems.org/) and the Chester County Republicans website (http://www.republicansccc.com). Incumbent information from the Chester County site (http://www.chesco.org/)

Chester County follows the same system that Bucks and Montco does, with three county commissioners, two from one party, and the third spot reserved for the top vote getter from the minority party. All three sitting commissioners are running for re-election (or in Costello's case election as he was recently appointed to the Board). Two Republican men, Ryan Costello and Terence Farrell, and one Democratic woman, Kathi Cozzone are the incumbents. Cozzone is joined on the ballot by Susan Bayne. If all incumbments win the gender balance stays the same. If both Democrats win it will shift to two women and one man.

The District Attorney position is open. There is no incumbent. Democrat Sam Stretton is facing Tom Hogan, both men.

Incumbent Republican prothonotary Bryan Walters is running unopposed.

Recorder of Deeds Ruth Huganir was appointed to serve out the term of Ryan Costello who was appointed to the Board of Commissioners in 2011 to fill out the term of Carol Aichele who is now the Pennsylvania Secretary of State. Is everyone following? Huganir is not running for the office. Both parties have male candidates, Republican Rich Loughery and Democrat Russ Phifer.

Incumbent Republican sheriff Carolyn "Bunny" Welsh is running against Democratic challenger Alex Caton. According to the bio on the county's website Welsh "is the first woman to ever be elected Sheriff of Chester County. She is the only female sheriff in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and one of only 22 female sheriffs in the nation."

The current Register of Wills, Paula Gowen, does not appear to be running again. Republican Terri Clark is facing Democrat Dan Tyman.

To recap the row offices, the District Attorney, Prothonotary, and Recorder of Deeds are guaranteed to be male. Sheriff and Register of Wills could go either way, though "Bunny" has the edge as an incumbent.

There are currently fourteen judges on the Court of Common Pleas, three have traditionally female names. There aren't any photos with their bios so names are all we have to go on. This year both parties are running two candidates, one male the other female. So that could result in any combination of new judges.