Pennsylvania lawmaker’s departure produces fourth May 18 special election
(Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)
HARRISBURG - A special election to fill a western Pennsylvania state House seat that is vacant because of a lawmaker’s retirement will be held on May 18, the day of the state primary.
The speaker’s office said Wednesday that voters in Armstrong, Butler and Indiana counties will choose a new state representative in the district that had been represented until Tuesday by Republican Rep. Jeff Pyle. Pyle cited a series of health problems in announcing his immediate retirement.
The special election for the seat held by Rep. Mike Reese, R-Westmoreland, had previously also been scheduled for the May 18 primary day. Reese died in early January of an apparent brain aneurysm about a month after publicly disclosing he had been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Republicans hold a 113-90 majority in the House, counting those two seats as Republicans.
There are also two special elections on May 18 for Senate openings.
One is due to the Jan. 17 death from brain cancer of Lebanon County Republican Sen. Dave Arnold, the other because of the retirement of Lackawanna County Sen. John Blake. Blake announced last month he was quitting to take a job working for Democratic U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright in Scranton.
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