Register of Wills Tracey Gordon loses the Democratic primary to John Sabatina by 3,500 votes

Incumbent Register of Wills Tracey Gordon conceded to John Sabatina on Friday as she trailed her competitor by 2 percentage points and more than 3,500 votes with 99% of the ballots counted.

“While I am disappointed in the outcome of the election, I am grateful for the opportunity to have served my community as register of wills,” Gordon said in a statement. “I remain committed to supporting the important work of this office and wish my successor the best in their endeavors.”

Sabatina, an estate attorney and longtime ward leader, is all but guaranteed to be elected to office in November’s general election.

The Register of Wills Office issues marriage licenses, maintains marriage records, and authenticates and approves wills, administrates when a person dies without a will, and stores thousands of historical documents.

Sabatina declared victory on Wednesday with 94% of the votes tallied.

“It is an honor to receive this vote of confidence, and I promise to devote all my energy and expertise to uphold the trust you have placed in me,” Sabatina said in a statement Thursday.

Gordon served one term as register of wills. Her 2019 victory came as a shock to the Democratic Party when she defeated Ron Donatucci, who held the role for more than 40 years. Prior to serving as register of wills, Gordon ran for City Council in 2011, and, in 2015, ran for city commissioner as well as an independent for a state House seat. Gordon worked as a deputy city commissioner in 2014 and was fired over an ethics violation.

Gordon has had a difficult relationship with Philadelphia’s Democratic machine.

In 2012, Gordon successfully sued the Philadelphia Democratic Party to retain her appointment as a committee person in her Southwest Philadelphia ward after facing opposition from both the ward leader as well as party boss Bob Brady. The Democratic City Committee also endorsed Sabatina over Gordon in Tuesday’s election.

The hallmark of Gordon’s register of wills tenure has been her attention to tangled titles, or messy property battles that happen when someone dies without a will, sometimes leading to property sheriff sales. Gordon sounded the alarm on the issue before City Council, which resulted in a $7.6 million city investment to help families settle the disputes. She also linked the issue of tangled titles and subsequent property blight with Philly’s record-breaking gun violence epidemic.

Gordon has also faced controversies in her first term. She hired and then let go a beleaguered political consultant, and caught heat for allowing her daughter to sell Eagles merchandise ahead of the Super Bowl. Most recently, two former staffers accused Gordon of firing them because they refused to contribute to her campaign.

Sabatina is a retired estate attorney who has handled 70 estates in his practice. He’s said his priorities are to straighten out personnel and process issues in the Register of Wills Office, and to digitize the thousands of historical documents under the office’s care.

Sabatina is also a longtime Northeast Philly ward leader, having held the position in the 56th Ward for more than 30 years. Sabatina’s son, John Sabatina Jr., served as a state representative and a state senator before becoming a judge on the Court of Common Pleas.

He will now face Republican candidate Linwood Holland, GOP leader of the 35th Ward, in the November general election. Holland ran unopposed in the GOP primary.