Larry Krasner and Patrick Dugan are facing off in the Democratic primary election for District Attorney today.
Since there is no Republican in the race, the winner of Tuesday's election is on track to win the November election. November's election determines who will be the top prosecutor of the city and county of Philadelphia, the largest prosecutor's office in Pennsylvania.
However, there is a caveat to this election.
If 1,000 Republicans vote for Dugan with a write-in ballot, he would have the opportunity to run as the GOP nominee in November if he fails to surpass Krasner in the Democratic Primary.
Some in the Philadelphia GOP are trying to make that happen, although to this point, Dugan has said he wouldn't run as a Republican, although his tune could change after the results Tuesday night.
Krasner is looking to return to office for his third consecutive term as Philadelphia’s District Attorney, where he has held office since 2018.
During his first two terms, murder rates dropped by more than 15% since his first year in office. He claims that he stands up for “immigration, disability and gay rights, as well as the right to free speech.”
“[Krasner] has supported victims, he has exonerated the innocent, and he has held police accountable. He has reduced future years of incarceration and supervision while helping to drop the jail population,” according to his campaign website, krasnerforda.com. “He has focused on the most serious crimes in Philadelphia while working with leaders to address the root causes of violence. He has kept kids out of adult court and kept them home. And he has fought against the powerful, like drug companies and those who steal from workers.”
Dugan hopes to see this election play out otherwise. In December of 2024, Dugan left his position as a judge in the Philadelphia Municipal Court to challenge Krasner in the race for Philadelphia’s DA.
“I gave up a job I LOVE, for the city I LOVE,” Dugan said on his campaign website judgeduganforda.com.
“We deserve a DA who will deliver compassionate reform, respect victims, and keep our communities safe by holding criminals accountable,” said Dugan. “Under DA Larry Krasner, we endured historically high rates of homicides, gunshot victims, case withdrawals, retail thefts, carjackings and the lowest gun conviction rate in decades.”
Dugan plans to have a localized approach to creating safer neighborhoods and fairer justice. He explained that he has first hand seen how localized solutions can “change lives and improve public safety.”
Outside of the Church of St. Luke and the Epiphany, one of the many polling places located in Philadelphia county, two local voters voiced the importance of voting in the primary elections.
John Marotta, an employee of the Church, was on his way to vote at another polling location.
“I vote in every election, and I think it is really important that people get out there,” said Marotta. “Unfortunately, with the primary elections, people blow them off, which is hard for me to understand.”
Nicholas Guerrino believes younger generations need to take more ownership in voting, especially in local, off-year elections.
“I really think that it is up to the young people to be voting more in local elections, and I don't think we are doing it too often,” said Guerrino as he was exiting the polling location. “I want the next generation to step up and decide a little bit more of what is happening with our issues as opposed to letting it slide by until we have to deal with the consequences.”
When asked about the race for the District Attorney, both Marotta and Guerrino voiced different concerns.
“The most important thing for me is just getting a handle on crime,” said Marotta. “It really is important.”
And while crime is important to Guerrino, there's another issue in Philadelphia that led him to vote for a specific candidate.
“What concerns me most is the penalization of our homeless community,” said Guerrino. “I think we should have more social support as opposed to more penalization and retribution."
In person polling closes at 8 p.m. and all mail in ballots must be in a City Commissioner’s drop box, delivered to City Hall or a satellite office by that time.
