The changing landscape for criminal justice in America has been front and center recently, from presidential candidates pledging to reduce mass incarceration to progressive prosecutors taking steps like ending marijuana prosecutions, ending reliance on cash bail, and more.
That movement continues in large and small cities and counties in the coming week, as prosecutors are up for election in many jurisdictions, as @Taniel detailed earlier today. theappeal.org/politicalrepor…
Races are happening all over, so see if there’s an election for prosecutor — or any office, because almost all offices have some role in our criminal justice system — that you’ll be voting for next week.
There’s been a lot of attention on the race in San Francisco, where the interim DA, Suzy Loftus, has faced criticism from reform advocates — theappeal.org/suzy-loftus-is… — and one progressive reform candidate, Chesa Boudin, is being targeted by law enforcement: sfexaminer.com/news/sf-police…
But since coverage of primary races ended over the summer, a lot of races aren’t getting the same attention that the SF race has gotten. Here are some races — in PA, NY, and VA — that you might have missed:
In Allegheny County, PA, Lisa Middleman, a public defender, is running an independent campaign — appealpolitics.org/2019/lisa-midd… — to upset the incumbent, Stephen Zappala. @PGHCityPaper called the race “the most consequential county election this year.” pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/201… 
In Monroe County, NY, Shani Curry Mitchell is running as a progressive reformer challenging incumbent Sandra Doorley in a race @roccitynews said is happening as thinking about criminal justice is "drastically shifting.” rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/the-…
Several races in Northern VA captured attention when longtime incumbents either declined to run again or were defeated. Voters will have a “once in a generation opportunity to reshape the criminal justice system next week,” @washingtonpost reported. washingtonpost.com/local/public-s…
In Loudoun County, VA, for example, Buta Biberaj is taking on Nicole Wittmann, a longtime prosecutor who has attacked Biberaj’s work as a criminal defense lawyer. Biberaj counters that it is the current system that harms public safety. appealpolitics.org/2019/virginia-…
Another significant race in VA is taking place in Albemarle County, where voters surrounding Charlottesville will be choosing between Jim Hingeley, a public defender running on ending mass incarceration, and incumbent Robert Tracci. appealpolitics.org/2019/virginia-…
Criminal justice issues are at the forefront of other races as well. Read up! Follow our friends at @theappeal for more criminal justice news, and check out our blueprint for rebuilding the criminal legal system to make a safer and more just America. thejusticecollaborative.com/blueprint-for-…
