by KYW's Mike Dunn and Tony Hanson
Philadelphia voters on Tuesday were choosing a new district attorney, and were deciding whether to send the incumbent controller back for another term (see related story).
One DA candidate, Seth Williams, filed a court motion on Tuesday morning asking to keep the polls in Philadelphia open an extra hour on Election Day because of the Septa transit strike. Late in the afternoon, a judge turned down the request.
For the first time since 1985, the district attorney's race does not feature an incumbent. Lynne Abraham, who succeeded Ron Castille by appointment in 1991, is not seeking another term.
Vying to take the position is the Democratic candidate, Williams, a former assistant prosecutor who also served as inspector general under John Street.
The GOP candidate for DA is Michael Untermeyer, also a former assistant DA and deputy attorney general.
Below that on the Philadelphia ballot, the incumbent controller, Alan Butkovitz, is seeking his second term. He faces a challenge from the Republican candidate, Al Schmidt, a former policy analyst with the US General Accounting Office.
Reports of any voting problems in Philadelphia can be made to the Committee of 70 watchdog group. Their hotline number is 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683).
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