Bernville mayor running for district judge seat
Shawn RaupKonsavage crossfiles for post in western Berks
Shawn Raup-Konsavage believes there’s no room for politics inside a courtroom.
He said deciding the fate of cases that come before a judge should rely solely on the law and the facts brought by each side — not on how much money the defendant might make, who they might know or how that ruling might impact future campaigns.
“Backroom deals should have nothing to do with justice,” he said.
Raup-Konsavage said that belief is the motivating force behind his decision to run in the May primary election for a district judge seat, hoping to replace incumbent Judge
Andrea Book. The district covers the western Berks County communities of Bethel, Jefferson, Marion, North Heidelberg, Penn, Tulpehocken, Upper Bern and Upper Tulpehocken townships as well as Bernville and Womelsdorf.
He will appear on both Democratic and Republican ballots, a decision he said reflects his belief that a judge should be politically impartial.
Raup-Konsavage, who serves as the mayor of Bernville, said his campaign is going to be run a little differently than most campaigns. He will not accept donations from anyone and he will not seek endorsements from any political organization.
“Despite being an elected official, I believe that a judge must be politically neutral and politics should never play a role when justice is pursued,” he said. “I intend to
personally fund my campaign, and will not be accepting donations to prevent any bias or indebtedness.”
District judges issue arrest and search warrants, oversee arraignments, set bail and hold criminal preliminary hearings. They also hear complaints in civil matters, mediate landlord-tenant disputes and perform weddings.
Raup-Konsavage, who has completed the training program required by the Pennsylvania Constitution to perform the duties of district judge, said he is prepared to continue his commitment to serve his community through this position.
Although he only moved to Bernville in 2015, he said has become a deeply involved member of his community. Prior to being elected mayor in 2017, he served on the Bernville Borough Zoning Hearing Board before accepting a position on borough council.
He has also served as a board member for several local community nonprofits, including The Cotton Candy House, the Bernville Area Community Library and the Evangelical Lutheran Friedens Church.
“Wanting to serve people has led me to this position, but I want to continue to grow that service in a new way,” he said. “The truth is that I live a better life than I deserve and I feel like I have an obligation to serve my community.”
District judges serve sixyear terms and have annual salaries of $106,245. The primary is May 16.