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Election News


Democracy Works: ‘Democracy 2024’ on the debate stage

Posted on September 4, 2023

The Democracy Works team (Michael Berkman, Chris Beem, Candis Watts Smith and Jenna Spinelle) are back from summer break and diving into the 2024 election season, Donald Trump’s indictments, the spread of election deniers and more.

This episode also explores significance of “Democracy 2024” as the backdrop for the first Republican presidential debate on August 23.

Read the full story »

WPSU

 

When do polls open in Pa.? All the information you need for the 2023 primary election.

Posted on May 16, 2023

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s 2023 primary election is here.

Voters are heading to the polls to cast their ballots for statewide judicial seats, local positions such as school board member, and two special state House races. Election officials across the commonwealth are also counting the mail ballots that have been coming in for weeks.

The winners of these primary elections will face off in the Nov. 7 general election.

Read the full story »

Spotlight PA

 

League of Women Voters Pennsylvania Primary Election Guide 2023

Posted on May 16, 2023

See voting and candidate information compiled by the League of Women Voters.

VOTE411 is committed to ensuring voters have the information they need to successfully participate in every election. Whether it’s local, state or federal, every election is important to ensuring our laws and policies reflect the values and beliefs of our communities.

Read the full story »

 

Democrat John Fetterman beats Trump-backed Dr. Oz in Pennsylvania Senate race

Posted on November 9, 2022

Follow live updates and election results here.

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is headed to the U.S. Senate following a campaign full of personal health debates and a fight for control of one of the nation’s battleground states. He defeated Trump-endorsed celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz.

The Senate seat was vacated by retiring GOP Sen. Pat Toomey, creating the first open Senate seat in Pennsylvania in a dozen years. Fetterman’s victory helps the Democrats as they look to secure bigger margins on Capitol Hill.

Read the full story »

NPR

 

Democrat Josh Shapiro wins Pennsylvania governor’s race

Posted on November 9, 2022

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrat Josh Shapiro won the race for governor of Pennsylvania, securing the office for four years in a state where the future of abortion rights is on the line, along with management of the 2024 election in a battleground that is often decisive in choosing presidents.

Shapiro, the state’s two-term elected attorney general, ran to the middle on several key issues and smashed Pennsylvania’s campaign finance record in a powerhouse campaign, swamping Republican Doug Mastriano in a deluge of TV ads.

Read the full story »

AP

 

View live election results for key contests in Pennsylvania.

Posted on November 8, 2022

A reminder about election results

Election results often require patience. Recent years have seen a rise in mail voting, and states have different procedures for how ballots are processed and tallied. Keep in mind that it’s not necessarily a sign of trouble if results are not immediately available.

 

Pennsylvania likely provides Democrats with their best opportunity to pick up a U.S. Senate seat, after Sen. Pat Toomey announced he wasn’t running for reelection. Democratic nominee John Fetterman, the state’s lieutenant governor, faces off against celebrity TV doctor Mehmet Oz in a race that’s been bitterly fought. Fetterman suffered a stroke in the last days of the primary.

 

Read the full story »

NPR

 

Elections official says Centre County drop boxes will close Monday at 9 a.m. to aid non-stop counting

Posted on November 4, 2022

Pennsylvania counties that accepted Election Integrity Grant Program funding from the state under Act 88 have to follow some new guidelines on how they run this election. WPSU’s Emily Reddy talked with Michael Pipe, a Centre County commissioner and the elections board vice-chair, about what changes counties will have to make.

The big one: Counties that took the money are required to count mail-in ballots without stopping until they’re done. That’s led Centre County to change the time when drop boxes close from 8 p.m. on Election Day to Monday at 9 a.m., so they can start working through those ballots earlier.

Here’s the interview with Michael Pipe:

Read the full story »

WPSU-FM

 

Democrats Shapiro and Fetterman hold “Get Out the Vote” rally at Penn State

Posted on November 4, 2022

With Election Day less than a week away, candidates are making their final pushes to get voters to the polls.

John Fetterman, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, joined Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro on Old Main Lawn Wednesday night as part of Shapiro’s “Get Out the Vote” bus tour across Pennsylvania.

Fetterman told the crowd about his stance on issues like abortion rights and filibustering. He also mentioned his recent stroke, but said he’d be able to do the job of Senator.

“I got knocked down and I got back up. Everyone that ever got knocked down in Pennsylvania that ever had to get back up, every forgotten community all across Pennsylvania that got knocked down has to be built back up. In January I know I’m gonna feel even better and [Oz] will still be a fraud,” Fetterman said.

Read the full story »

WPSU-FM

 

Meet the candidates: Justin Behrens, the Republican running for the state House in the 82nd district

Posted on November 2, 2022

Seats in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives are on the ballot in the 2022 election, including the new 82nd district. Created as part of Pennsylvania’s redistricting, the 82nd runs through the middle of Centre County, from Harris Township in the South to Burnside Township in the North. WPSU’s Anne Danahy spoke with both the Democratic candidate Paul Takac and Republican candidate Justin Behrens, in an election that’s seen as competitive. Here is her interview with Behrens.

Read the full story »

WPSU-FM

 

Meet the candidates: Paul Takac, the Democrat running for the state House in the new 82nd district

Posted on November 1, 2022

Seats in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives are on the ballot in the 2022 election, including the new 82nd district. Created as part of Pennsylvania’s redistricting, the 82nd runs through the middle of Centre County, from Harris Township in the South to Burnside Township in the North. WPSU’s Anne Danahy spoke with both the Republican and Democratic candidates running for the seat, in an election that’s seen as competitive. Here is her interview with Democrat Paul Takac.

Read the full story »

WPSU-FM

 

Why are undated mail ballots such a big deal in Pennsylvania?

Posted on October 31, 2022

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court is expected to soon rule on a case that could decide whether undated mail ballots can be counted in the quickly approaching Nov. 8 election.

The case comes after years of highly partisan litigation that yielded no firm legal consensus on how counties should treat the ballots.

Under state law, a person who casts a mail ballot must sign and date a declaration on the outer envelope. Undated ballots have missing or incorrect dates, but are otherwise turned in on time to county election offices and are eligible to be counted.

Read the full story »

Spotlight PA

 

Ahead of Election Day, U.S. agencies warn of potential attacks by extremists

Posted on October 30, 2022

U.S. security agencies have issued a heightened threat advisory, warning of a potential attacks on political candidates, election officials and others. The alert came Friday, the same day that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband was attacked in their San Francisco home.

NPR has obtained the bulletin issued by the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the National Counterterrorism Center, and the U.S. Capitol Police.

Read the full story »

NPR/WPSU

 

John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz finally debated in the Pa. U.S. Senate race. Here’s how they tackled the issues.

Posted on October 27, 2022

In their lone debate before polls close on Nov. 8, Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate candidates were grilled Tuesday night about where they stand on key issues.

As Republican Mehmet Oz and Democrat John Fetterman have relentlessly attacked each other in ads over the last few months, voters said the broadsides gave them much to work with. Tuesday’s showdown was the first and only time voters got to see the hopefuls debate their plans in real time. At the same time, the Department of State reports around 640,000 voters have already cast a ballot in the race.

Read the full story »

WITF, WPSU

 

Watch the Fetterman-Oz U.S. Senate debate

Posted on October 26, 2022

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP/WHTM) — More than five months after experiencing a stroke, Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman struggled at times to explain his positions and often spoke haltingly throughout a highly anticipated debate Tuesday in the ABC27 studios against Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz as they vie for a critical Senate seat.

In the opening minutes of the debate, Fetterman addressed what he called the “elephant in the room.”

“I had a stroke. He’s never let me forget that,” Fetterman said of Oz, who has persistently questioned his ability to serve in the Senate. “And I might miss some words during this debate, mush two words together, but it knocked me down and I’m going to keep coming back up.”

When pressed to release his medical records later in the debate, he refused to commit.

Read the full story »

WHTM

 

Daniel Wassmer

Posted on October 18, 2022

Party: Keystone
Office: US Senate

What is your position on abortion policy?

I am pro-choice. A woman has the right to make her healthcare decision with her doctor. I believe this to be one of the rights guaranteed by the 9th Amendment which specifically states that: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. If we erode any rights we actually start down the slippery slope of opening others to erosion which can then be adjusted politically at a whim.

What is your position on voting administration? (ex: mail-in ballots, drop boxes, voter ID, etc.)

I would allow full access to voting by any means possible. Coupled with this we must acknowledge that individuals on the ballot were placed there pursuant to the first amendment protections guaranteed in the constitution. The chilling of third party access by the duopoly party actually shows their arrogance in failing to guarantee the rights of people with dissenting opinions. Sadly the press plays a great role in perpetuating this by ignoring other candidates on the ballot. I welcome the fact that you have offered this opportunity to actually explore the views of the individuals I represent.

What is your position on gun ownership policy?

I am a second amendment advocate. With that being said I thought the insane conduct I witnessed on January 6th and its predicate conduct that far too many people in this country hero worship politicians. We have seen time and again such situations resulting in the type of violent behavior that occurred on that day in January. While I distain violence I also believe that individuals have a right to protection. Although not asked here I am also a huge advocate for mental health and other healthcare issues. I wish we would take all of the money we spend on government studies related to guns and actually plow that into mental health as well as healthcare. We would save far more people in this country by acting in a forward thinking, pragmatic manner.

What is your position on immigration policy?

I am an open borders advocate for a multiple number of reasons which no other candidates address. First off the US is virtually the same size as China yet China has 4 to 5 times our population. In my world immigration should be encouraged not discouraged if we really wish to compete with China. Secondly, immigrants would actually make up shortfalls in Social Security based upon our declining birth rate. Thirdly ending the war on drugs a failed 51 year plus disaster and reallocating those resources to healthcare as well as mental health actually reduced crime and addiction in Portugal. Doing this would actually slow immigration (due to homeland violence) as well as put drug cartels out of business. If done in conjunction with major changes which the duopoly fails to address we would have substantial beneficial changes. Note the greatest leaps forward in this country occurred when we had an open doors policy. We should do this again instead of forcing every would be immigrant to obtain legal representation to legally remain here – a concept I find absurd.

What are your positions on economic policy and job creation (ex: inflation reduction, taxes, regulations, etc.)?

We currently have 2 job openings for every would be employee. This is highly inflationary since it drives up the cost of labor to compete. Even though wages rise vs inflation it often amounts to a real loss. Accordingly we should allow greater immigration as opposed to less immigration. I also support companies like Tesla (which is actually an off grid power company) in their efforts to move us to free market energy options. As a free marketer I believe that we are over-regulated often to a detriment. Our tax structure needs to be revamped and how we finance things need to be changed. These are all interrelated issues which are way to lengthy to discuss at length here however no other politicians are taking this approach. Electing an independent senator in PA would afford substantial benefits to both the state and the federal government since I would rationally tackle these issues!

What is your position on climate change and environmental policy?

I would like to see a national dialogue on this issue. Even I a former environmental science major have questions. For some background this issue was initially raised in 1980 in a report called the Global 2000 report. It wasn’t until 1988 that it became a hit button political issue. Candidly I have followed what has been advertised as science on this issue and I have a lot of unanswered questions. A National sit down discussion without the normal bi-polar screaming match DC generally engages in would be a good honest first step. As someone who is unaligned and willing to change my views when presented accurate evidence think of how beneficial an open minded individual would be to protect our environment.

What is your position on criminal justice reform?

One of my biggest agenda items. I ran for the PA Attorney General in 2020 discussing this issue. At a minimum we need to 1) end qualified immunity 2) have law enforcement officers independently obtain insurance (instead of making bad policing a government expense) and 3) permit unions to underwrite these policies! This is a win, win for everyone but bad cops who would be removed from law enforcement if they couldn’t obtain insurance. As a former FOP lawyer who was involved with representing police engaged in improper conduct I can tell you seeing bad cops actually makes the job of good “peace officers” more difficult. Lastly, we need to recognize that every response doesn’t need a police officer. Some issues are mental health issues and we need to create a national call system to allow immediate response in such manners.

What is your position on LGBTQ rights? (ex: marriage, adoption, sports participation)

LGBTQ individuals are all of my brothers and sisters also! Everyone should be treated equally and fairly. I was interested in Katlin Jenner’s position on sports participation but would like to see what becomes of this with the NCAA before it becomes a legislative issue. I hope that they adequately address this because I believe it can be dealt with reasonably and intelligently. Candidly I have a boat load of friends in that community and any attack on them I consider an attack as if it were perpetrated on my own family.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Look to my website and feel free to contact me if you have any more issues. I am a listener and a representative voice. My purpose is not to inflame fires but find pragmatic solutions forward. Give you neighbors a hug instead of shaking a fist at them all the time over political issues. Lastly please, please, please stop hero worshiping politicians! It is one of the most outrageous things I have seen and we all have the ability to be kind! Thank you!

Read the full story »

 

Pa. election 2022: A basic guide to vetting candidates for U.S. Senate, governor, and more

Posted on October 7, 2022

Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters.

HARRISBURG — All eyes will be on Pennsylvania this November election as a number of contentious races on the ballot will determine the state’s political future.

In the race for governor, voters will pick between Democrat Josh Shapiro, the state’s attorney general; Republican Doug Mastriano, a state senator; and a handful of third-party candidates.

In the U.S. Senate, where Democrats’ slim margin hangs in the balance, voters here could determine which party controls the chamber in 2023. Representing them will be either Democrat John Fetterman, the current lieutenant governor, or Republican Mehmet Oz, a retired surgeon and TV personality.

Read the full story »

Spotlight PA via WPSU

 

Daniel Wassmer, Keystone Party, Candidate for US Senate

Posted on September 10, 2022

Candidate Profile: https://vote.wpsu.org/candidates/286/

WPSU Vote 2022 Issues Questionnaire

What is your position on abortion policy?

I am pro-choice. A woman has the right to make her healthcare decision with her doctor. I believe this to be one of the rights guaranteed by the 9th Amendment which specifically states that: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. If we erode any rights we actually start down the slippery slope of opening others to erosion which can then be adjusted politically at a whim.

What is your position on voting administration? (ex: mail-in ballots, drop boxes, voter ID, etc.)

I would allow full access to voting by any means possible. Coupled with this we must acknowledge that individuals on the ballot were placed there pursuant to the first amendment protections guaranteed in the constitution. The chilling of third party access by the duopoly party actually shows their arrogance in failing to guarantee the rights of people with dissenting opinions. Sadly the press plays a great role in perpetuating this by ignoring other candidates on the ballot. I welcome the fact that you have offered this opportunity to actually explore the views of the individuals I represent.

What is your position on gun ownership policy?

I am a second amendment advocate. With that being said I thought the insane conduct I witnessed on January 6th and its predicate conduct that far too many people in this country hero worship politicians. We have seen time and again such situations resulting in the type of violent behavior that occurred on that day in January. While I distain violence I also believe that individuals have a right to protection. Although not asked here I am also a huge advocate for mental health and other healthcare issues. I wish we would take all of the money we spend on government studies related to guns and actually plow that into mental health as well as healthcare. We would save far more people in this country by acting in a forward thinking, pragmatic manner.

What is your position on immigration policy?

I am an open borders advocate for a multiple number of reasons which no other candidates address. First off the US is virtually the same size as China yet China has 4 to 5 times our population. In my world immigration should be encouraged not discouraged if we really wish to compete with China. Secondly, immigrants would actually make up shortfalls in Social Security based upon our declining birth rate. Thirdly ending the war on drugs a failed 51 year plus disaster and reallocating those resources to healthcare as well as mental health actually reduced crime and addiction in Portugal. Doing this would actually slow immigration (due to homeland violence) as well as put drug cartels out of business. If done in conjunction with major changes which the duopoly fails to address we would have substantial beneficial changes. Note the greatest leaps forward in this country occurred when we had an open doors policy. We should do this again instead of forcing every would be immigrant to obtain legal representation to legally remain here – a concept I find absurd.

What are your positions on economic policy and job creation (ex: inflation reduction, taxes, regulations, etc.)?

We currently have 2 job openings for every would be employee. This is highly inflationary since it drives up the cost of labor to compete. Even though wages rise vs inflation it often amounts to a real loss. Accordingly we should allow greater immigration as opposed to less immigration. I also support companies like Tesla (which is actually an off grid power company) in their efforts to move us to free market energy options. As a free marketer I believe that we are over-regulated often to a detriment. Our tax structure needs to be revamped and how we finance things need to be changed. These are all interrelated issues which are way to lengthy to discuss at length here however no other politicians are taking this approach. Electing an independent senator in PA would afford substantial benefits to both the state and the federal government since I would rationally tackle these issues!

What is your position on climate change and environmental policy?

I would like to see a national dialogue on this issue. Even I a former environmental science major have questions. For some background this issue was initially raised in 1980 in a report called the Global 2000 report. It wasn’t until 1988 that it became a hit button political issue. Candidly I have followed what has been advertised as science on this issue and I have a lot of unanswered questions. A National sit down discussion without the normal bi-polar screaming match DC generally engages in would be a good honest first step. As someone who is unaligned and willing to change my views when presented accurate evidence think of how beneficial an open minded individual would be to protect our environment.

What is your position on criminal justice reform?

One of my biggest agenda items. I ran for the PA Attorney General in 2020 discussing this issue. At a minimum we need to 1) end qualified immunity 2) have law enforcement officers independently obtain insurance (instead of making bad policing a government expense) and 3) permit unions to underwrite these policies! This is a win, win for everyone but bad cops who would be removed from law enforcement if they couldn’t obtain insurance. As a former FOP lawyer who was involved with representing police engaged in improper conduct I can tell you seeing bad cops actually makes the job of good “peace officers” more difficult. Lastly, we need to recognize that every response doesn’t need a police officer. Some issues are mental health issues and we need to create a national call system to allow immediate response in such manners.

What is your position on LGBTQ rights? (ex: marriage, adoption, sports participation)

LGBTQ individuals are all of my brothers and sisters also! Everyone should be treated equally and fairly. I was interested in Katlin Jenner’s position on sports participation but would like to see what becomes of this with the NCAA before it becomes a legislative issue. I hope that they adequately address this because I believe it can be dealt with reasonably and intelligently. Candidly I have a boat load of friends in that community and any attack on them I consider an attack as if it were perpetrated on my own family.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Look to my website and feel free to contact me if you have any more issues. I am a listener and a representative voice. My purpose is not to inflame fires but find pragmatic solutions forward. Give you neighbors a hug instead of shaking a fist at them all the time over political issues. Lastly please, please, please stop hero worshiping politicians! It is one of the most outrageous things I have seen and we all have the ability to be kind! Thank you!

Read the full story »

 

With a key race too close to call, here are 4 takeaways from Tuesday’s primaries

Posted on May 18, 2022

Five states held primary elections Tuesday.

They once again tested former President Donald Trump’s influence on the Republican side — with mixed results; President Biden looks to have suffered a loss with one of his endorsements; a key U.S. Senate race is too close to call; and a controversial congressman lost his bid for reelection.

The results are in — well, most of them. Here’s some of what they tell us:
1. Waiting on Pennsylvania

The headliner state was Pennsylvania, and especially the key Senate race there. In the GOP primary, Mehmet Oz — that’s celebrity TV doctor Dr. Oz — was pitted against David McCormick, a former hedge fund head who spent millions of his own money in the race, and conservative commentator Kathy Barnette.

Read the full story »

NPR/WPSU

 

Doug Mastriano wins GOP nomination for Pennsylvania governor

Posted on May 18, 2022

Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano has emerged as the winner from a crowded Republican primary for governor, according to a race call from The Associated Press.

A retired Army colonel, Mastriano has risen to prominence espousing far-right views directly to a homegrown network of online supporters. He’s also known for his support of a lie that widespread election fraud led to former President Donald Trump’s loss in 2020. For that, Mastriano received Trump’s endorsement.

Read the full story »

WITF/WPSU

 

Take Note: WPSU talks with three gubernatorial candidates in the crowded Republican primary

Posted on May 16, 2022

Pennsylvania’s primary election is May 17, and this year, voters will pick their nominee for governor. On the Democratic side, the race is not competitive. Attorney General Josh Shapiro is the only candidate on the ballot. But on the Republican side, eight candidates are vying for their party’s nomination to be governor. There had been nine candidates, but Senate President Pro Tem Jake Corman announced Thursday he was dropping out of the race…

Read the full story »

WPSU

 

I voted sign

Pa. Election Day 2022: A complete guide to the May 17 primary, including how to vote, find your polling place, understand mail-in ballots, and more

Posted on May 10, 2022

More than a few things have changed since Pennsylvanians last went to the polls. Your congressional and legislative districts might be different, some counties are supervising or reducing drop boxes, and the mail-in voting law has been ruled unconstitutional — but, for now, it remains in effect and a valid form of voting.

Read the full story »

Spotlight PA

 

Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor: A guide to the 2022 primary and candidates

Posted on May 10, 2022

What’s at stake : The lieutenant governor’s office doesn’t have a long list of official responsibilities, but the role’s gravity transcends its historically low profile (scandal and star power notwithstanding). In addition to refereeing the state Senate, the LG chairs the Board of Pardons and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. The job also requires keeping tabs on local government agencies across the diverse, massive Keystone State…

Read the full story »

WESA

 

Take Note: WPSU talks with three of the candidates running in the Republican primary for Pennsylvania governor

Posted on May 9, 2022

Pennsylvania’s primary election is May 17, and this year, voters will pick their nominees for governor. On the Democratic side, the race is not competitive. Attorney General Josh Shapiro is the only candidate on the ballot. But on the Republican side, nine candidates are vying for their party’s nomination to be governor. WPSU invited all of those candidates for interviews leading up to the primary. On this week’s Take Note, WPSU’s Anne Danahy talked with Charlie Gerow, Nche Zama and Jake Corman, starting with Charlie Gerow. Here are their conversations.

Read the full story »

WPSU

 

4 top governor candidates

Pa.’s GOP gubernatorial frontrunners want no abortion, no mail voting, and lots of fracking

Posted on April 28, 2022

No matter who wins Pennsylvania’s Republican gubernatorial primary, the candidate will probably be someone who supports essentially outlawing abortion, getting rid of mail voting, dramatically expanding fracking, and slashing regulations on drillers and other industries.

Indeed, throughout an hour-long debate in Harrisburg on Wednesday — the first debate in which all the frontrunners shared a stage — the four candidates had few real policy disagreements.

Read the full story »

WHYY

 

PA independent candidate

Pa. Election Day 2022: Why independents can’t vote for candidates this May, and the push to change that

Posted on April 27, 2022

Pennsylvania is one of only nine states with a closed primary system. People who register without a party affiliation or with smaller third parties, such as the Green or the Libertarian Party, are unable to vote for Democratic or Republican candidates in the spring races that determine who runs in the general election.

Primary races can be especially important in areas where voters heavily favor one party as they essentially decides which candidate will win the position.

Nearly 1.3 million of the state’s 8.7 million registered voters are unaffiliated with the two major parties, a number that rose by nearly 10% between 2016 and 2020 — outpacing gains made by Democrats and Republicans.

That’s one of the reasons why Ballot PA — a coalition of civic and community organizations including Common Cause PA, the League of Women Voters, and the Committee of Seventy — has launched a campaign to open Pennsylvania’s closed primary system.

Read the full story »

Spotlight PA

 

Dave White

Amid Trump-initiated turbulence in the Pa. governor race, Dave White makes his move

Posted on April 25, 2022

Going into the Republican primary for Pennsylvania governor, one of Dave White’s goals was “peaking at the right time.”

The former union steamfitter and Delaware County Council member, who owns a profitable HVAC company, has been self-funding his way to a respectable standing in polling of the crowded race. Most surveys have had him in third or fourth place in the field of nine, behind better-known politicians like State Sen. Doug Mastriano and former congressman Lou Barletta, and jockeying with former U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain.

But after a tumultuous period that saw McSwain suffer an anti-endorsement from Donald Trump, White saw an opening.

Read the full story »

 

John Fetterman

Democratic candidates for Pa.’s open U.S. Senate seat put Fetterman on the hot seat

Posted on April 25, 2022

The May primary race for Pennsylvania’s open U.S. Senate seat is picking up speed. And Thursday, three Democratic candidates took part in a rapid-fire televised debate in Harrisburg that landed the perceived frontrunner on the hot seat.

Recent polling shows Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in the lead for the Democratic nomination. But he was grilled about a 2013 incident when he was mayor of Braddock where he allegedly pointed a gun at an unarmed Black man he suspected of committing a crime.

Read the full story »

WLVR

 

Upcoming Elections May 17, 2022 is the Primary Election

Posted on January 24, 2022

Upcoming Elections
May 17, 2022 is the Primary Election
Polls are open on election day from 7 A.M. – 8 P.M.
Last day to register to vote: May 2, 2022
Last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot: May 10, 2022
Learn about Primary Elections.

November 8, 2022 is the General Election
Polls are open on election day from 7 A.M. – 8 P.M.
Last day to register to vote: October 24, 2022
Last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot: November 1, 2022
Learn about General Elections.

Read the full story »

DOS Voting & Election Information

 

Pennsylvania redistricting panel enters final stretch to complete House, Senate maps

Posted on January 23, 2022

HARRISBURG — The panel charged with drawing Pennsylvania’s new legislative districts must now weigh over 6,000 comments from a month-long public feedback period before voting on final versions of the maps.

The Legislative Reapportionment Commission — a five-person panel composed of top party leaders and chaired by an independent member — has until mid-February to make changes to its proposed House and Senate maps, according to the state constitution.

Once the panel approves its final versions, “any aggrieved person” then has 30 days to bring challenges against one or both maps to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Read the full story »

by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA

 

Proposed congressional map advances in Pa. legislature as Wolf, top lawmakers prepare for court battle

Posted on January 23, 2022

HARRISBURG — A state Senate panel voted Tuesday to advance a redrawing of Pennsylvania’s congressional map as a top Republican expressed hope that his party and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf could still reach a compromise with a court deadline looming.

Nonpartisan analysts say the map, first proposed by House Republicans, has a clear GOP advantage. While stopping short of vowing a veto, Wolf previously said he opposes the map in its current form and expressed concern regarding the map’s partisan bias.

Read the full story »

by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA

 

Pa. court sets deadline to break stalemate on redrawing congressional map

Posted on January 23, 2022

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A statewide court has given lawmakers and Gov. Tom Wolf two weeks to break a stalemate around redrawing Pennsylvania’s congressional districts to account for a decade of demographic shifts.

The Commonwealth Court issued the order Friday, acting on a request last month for it to get involved in the process. It set Jan. 30 for the deadline for it to render its judgment on proposals that are submitted to it.

Read the full story »

 

Participate in the Redistricting Process

Posted on January 13, 2022

Each decade, Pennsylvania uses data from the United States Census Bureau to complete the Constitutionally-required process of setting Congressional and Legislative district boundaries. The Legislative Reapportionment Commission invites all citizens of Pennsylvania to provide their input and feedback. Through this website you can:

– Submit Written Testimony. Provide written public comment to the Commission.
– Upload a File. Provide a SHAPE or Block-equivalency file that details a community of interest or statewide map.
– Draw a Statewide Map. Using free third-party websites, you can draw your own statewide map and submit to the Commission.

People have until Jan. 18 to file objections to those proposed state legislative maps. Objections go to the state Supreme Court, which could further delay the process (source: https://www.wesa.fm/politics-government/2022-01-12/pennsylvania-house-votes-for-gop-favored-congressional-redistricting-plan)

Read the full story »

Pennsylvania Redistricting

 


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