The race for Allegheny County Common Pleas Court judge looks like it will be a crowded one.

Tuesday was the first day candidates for May’s primary election were permitted to begin circulating their nominating petitions.

With nine seats open on the bench, it is expected that nearly three dozen people will run for the 10-year position that pays $186,665 per year.

Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner is the latest to declare for the race. She announced her candidacy Tuesday.

Wagner, who also serves on the Jail Oversight Board and has been known to clash politically with County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, pleaded no contest to disturbing meetings — similar to disturbing the peace — last year in Detroit. She was sentenced to non-reporting probation that was immediately terminated upon payment of a fine.

The case has since been dismissed.

Wagner joins a field of candidates that include sitting district judges, defense attorneys, family lawyers, appointed judges and political newcomers.

Nominating petitions are due March 9. The primary is May 18.

Allegheny County Bar Association President Elizabeth Hughes said she thinks the large field of candidates is good.

“You really have an opportunity to increase diversity,” she said.

Out of 43 judges, Allegheny County’s bench has four people of color.

“The bigger the field you have, the more opportunity there is to increase that diversity and increase it in a meaningful way,” she said.

So far, about 40 people have requested to be rated by the bar’s Judiciary Committee. Those ratings — highly recommended, recommended, not recommended at this time, unqualified — will be released once the process is complete.

The ratings, Hughes said, are a valuable tool for the public in choosing whom to vote for since most people don’t interface with the courts on a regular basis.

The Judiciary Committee — which includes more than two dozen people from various backgrounds and practice areas — reviews the candidates’ temperament, ethics and reputation, among other things.

“We have a unique perspective,” Hughes said.

As more and more people split from traditional Allegheny County party politics, several candidates this year have chosen to forgo the formal endorsement process and pursue the bench on their own. Some are choosing to run with a slate of candidates.

“If you see the traditional route isn’t working to gain representation on the court, you might have to find ways to collaborate with people who have like goals,” Hughes said. “I think it makes it a stronger, more fair playing field.”

That potential exposure, she continued, will help the public choose the candidates that best meet their needs.

“Judges make life-changing decisions for individuals every day,” Hughes said. “Anything you do to make a wider band of candidates available to the public, I think, is a good thing.”

Like Hughes, Deborah Gross, executive director for Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, sees the large number of candidates and openings as a way to increase diversity on the bench.

“Diversity is what we all should be striving for because it raises all of us up,” she said.

The large number of candidates for the Allegheny County Common Pleas bench shows that there is a growing interest in the work done by courts, Gross said.

She has heard recently from groups — especially young people — who want to better understand their role in government.

“Maybe more people want to run and feel like they can make a difference,” Gross said.

Having such a large turnover on the bench — more than one-fifth of the judges — could be a good thing, she said.

“People are asking more questions. They come in with optimism. There’s not the same cynicism,” Gross sad. “Hopefully, they’ll come in with a lot of ideas and figure out a way to make the court better.”

At least 35 people are seeking one of nine open seats on the Allegheny County Common Pleas Court in the 2021 primary.

So far, 18 candidates have said they will seek the endorsement of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee. They include:Bruce Beemer

Pauline Calabrese

Tom Caulfied

William F. Caye II

Jason Cervone

Jessel Costa

Mark Patrick Flaherty

Elliot Howsie

Ryan Kiray

Daniel J. Konieczka

Sabrina Korbel

Zeke Reliker

Pat Sweeney

Andy Szefi

Beth Tarasi Sinatra

Albert Veverka

Chelsa Wagner

Wrenna Watson

Others who have announced their candidacy include:Sean Audley

Alyssa Cowan

Rosemary Crawford

Marc Daffner

Anthony Deluca

Ian Everhart

Nicola Henry-Taylor

George Heym

Brian Malkin

Lisa Middleman

Mik Pappas

Chuck Porter

Matt Rogers

Giuseppe Rosselli

Ilan Zur

Clarification: Jessica Lynch is running for magisterial district judge in Aspinwall, Blawnox, Fox Chapel, Indiana Twp., O’Hara Twp., and Sharpsburg. A previous version of this story listed her in the wrong race.

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