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HARRISBURG - It was an encouraging development for those who advocate for more women in government.
Women swept Pennsylvania's statewide judicial races Tuesday in a bipartisan show of power in the one corner of state politics with anything approaching gender parity: the appellate bench.
Women won all six appeals court seats up for grabs. Voters also retained two female jurists, as well as one male judge.
Although women have had success winning seats on the state Commonwealth, Superior and Supreme courts, they remain distinct minorities elsewhere in government. All three state row offices are held by men. Women represent less than a quarter of the state Legislature, and the percentage of women in the lower courts is only slightly higher.
Going into the election, women held 53 percent of the 28 seats currently filled at the appellate level of the state judicial system.
"Honestly, I think [Tuesday] night's results will just continue to inspire women to run for office up and down the ballot," said Sincer Harris, executive director of the state Democratic Party.
Trying...