So, if election day was tomorrow, would you know what offices are up for grabs in Philadelphia?
The Primary Election in the state of Pennsylvania is Tuesday, May 20, 2025. The polls open at 7 am and remain open until 8 pm. The offices up for grabs in Philadelphia include the office of District Attorney, and the office of City Controller, and there are a good number of judicial seats available.
Thus far, two names have come up as candidates for District Attorney. Our incumbent District Attorney, Larry Krasner, is running for another four-year term. There are no term limits for District Attorney in Philadelphia. Also, a former Philadelphia Judge has tossed his hat in the ring to run for District Attorney, Patrick Dugan, announced his intent to run against Krasner.
What is the job description for the District Attorney of Philadelphia?
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A district attorney in Philadelphia works for the government in criminal cases and oversees the operations of justice departments. The key duties of a district attorney include prosecuting suspected lawbreakers, conducting investigations, offering plea bargains, investigating evidence, handing appeals, and attending trials. To become a district attorney, one needs to earn a bachelor’s degree, graduate from law school, pass the bar exam, and then work to gain significant trial experience.
A strong district attorney will also have good communication skills, logical and analytical thinking, use of technology, and time management are good skills to have for any position in the twenty-first century.
District attorneys have the authority to decide whether or not to prosecute an accused person. When determining whether to prosecute someone, they consider details like whether the evidence presented in the grand jury proceedings is strong enough or whether evidence rEveals someone else was responsible for a crime. The disappearance of a witness may also determine whether to proceed with prosecution.
District Attorneys also have the discretion to negotiate with a defendant for a plea bargain. A plea bargain refers to when a jurisdiction–through its district attorney, agrees to charge an accused person with a crime carrying a lesser penalty in exchange for a waiver to a trial. The district attorney can then present the plea agreement to the jury or judge to review the new charges and ensure that the defendant understands the agreement.
Philadelphia’s District Attorney’s office employs around 600 people, including approximately 300 assistant district attorneys. They prosecute 40,000 criminal cases a year, ranging from minor offenses to felonies, including sexual assaults and murders. The office of the District Attorney of Philadelphia is the largest prosecutor’s office in the state of Pennsylvania and oversees a jurisdiction that includes more than 1.5 million people in both the city and county of Philadelphia.
Next week, we’ll take a look at the Philadelphia City Controller office, that job description, and more.
Meanwhile, if you are not a registered voter and you are age 18 or older, get busy and get it done. It takes less than five minutes to register to vote, and then come Tuesday, May 20, Primary Election Day in Pennsylvania, make sure you cast your ballots for the candidates of your choice.
Stay tuned for more civics 101 lessons.
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