News & Politics
What to know about Pennsylvania’s upcoming special elections
Four seats in the state House of Representatives will be up for grabs in February and March.
Four vacant seats in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, pictured here, will be up for grabs in February and March. Commonwealth Media Services
Following resignations in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, four seats in the chamber will be up for grabs in special elections scheduled for February and March.
The resignations came after several lawmakers formally submitted their resignations after they won elections for local office in November. The lawmakers who have since departed the chamber are former state Reps. Torren Ecker, Dan Miller, Lou Schmitt and Josh Siegel.
Dates for all four of the special elections are set after House Speaker Joanna McClinton signed writs of election to fill the now-vacant seats.
House District 22: The special election for House District 22 will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The seat was formerly held by Siegel, a Democrat who was sworn in as Lehigh County Executive on Jan. 5. The Lehigh County district represents parts of the City of Allentown and Salisbury Township.
House District 42: The special election for House District 42 will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The seat was most recently held by Miller, a Democrat who was elected as an Allegheny County Common Pleas judge in November. The Allegheny County district encompasses Baldwin Township, Castle Shannon Borough, Dormont Borough, Mount Lebanon Township and Upper St. Clair Township.
House District 79: The special election for House District 79 will be held on Tuesday, March 17. The seat was previously held by Schmitt, a Republican who was elected and recently sworn in as a judge on the Blair County Court of Common Pleas. The Blair County District encompasses Allegheny Township, the City of Altoona, Logan Township and Tunnelhill Borough.
House District 193: The special election for House District 193 will be held on Tuesday, March 17. The seat was previously held by Ecker, a Republican who was elected in November as a judge on the Adams County Court of Common Pleas. The 193rd House District encompasses parts of Cumberland County and parts of Adams County.