On Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, Pennsylvania — and Philadelphia — voted. This year’s midterms were a pivotal election. We have your outcomes below.
For detailed descriptions of all the contenders, including Doug Mastriano, Mehmet Oz and more, click the link below to find the popular voters’ guide created by The Citizen and Better Civics, a nonprofit dedicated to revolutionizing civic engagement through basic education.
To see the winners (and losers), read on.
U.S. SENATOR
U.S. senators and representatives represent you in Washington D.C. One of two Pennsylvania Senate seats was up for election this year — the seat that formerly belonged to Sen. Pat Toomey. Pennsylvania’s 17 representatives — including three in Philly — were also up for election this year.
Whom did the voters choose?
Democrat John Fetterman, the current Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, won the Senate seat with 51 percent of the vote, more than 5 percentage points over his Republican opponent, television doctor Mehmet Oz. Oz, a multimillionaire, had the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, but struggled to connect with middle-class voters. Libertarian Erik Gerhardt earned 1.4 percent of the vote, Green Party candidate Richard Weiss just 0.6 percent, and the Keystone Party’s Daniel Wassmer 0.5 percent. Neither of the Independent candidates made a showing in the senatorial vote.
GOVERNOR + LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Governor Tom Wolf, the current top elected official in the state, has served two consecutive, four-year terms, which is the limit in Pennsylvania. Tom Wolf’s Lieutenant Governor (and running mate) was John Fetterman, who won Pennsylvania’s open U.S. Senate seat.
What did the voters decide?
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania State Representative for Allegheny County Austin Davis will be sworn in as Pennsylvania’s new Governor and Lieutenant Governor in January. In a very closely watched race, they defeated Republicans Doug Mastriano and Carrie DelRosso by more than 14 percentage points. Mastriano, a far-right state senator from Gettysburg with ties to White Christian nationalists, officially conceded defeat five days after Election Day.
Libertarian candidate Matt Hackenburg earned 1 percent of the vote. Green Party candidate Christina Digiulio and the Keystone Party’s Joseph Soloski received 0.5 and 0.4 percent, respectively.
U.S. CONGRESS DISTRICT 2
What did the voters decide?
Democratic incumbent Brendan Boyle easily retained his seat with more than 75 percent of the vote. Republican Haroon “Aaron” Bashir, a Pakistani American and former accountant for the City of Philadelphia, adjunct professor and entrepreneur, received 24.6 percent of the vote.
U.S. CONGRESS DISTRICT 3
The winner:
Democratic incumbent Dwight Evans will serve a third term in Congress after securing reelection with less than 5 percent of votes going to his Socialist Workers Party opponent, Christopher Hoeppner.
U.S. CONGRESS DISTRICT 5
Who won?
Democratic incumbent Mary Gay Scanlon won reelection with almost two-thirds of voters choosing her over Republican challenger David Galluch, a Navy veteran and John McCain fan who works in strategic development for Comcast.
PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL ELECTIONS
Philadelphia requires members of City Council to resign their seats in order to run for Philly mayor. Prior to the midterm election, four councilmembers had resigned: Allan Domb (at-large), Derek Green (at-large), Cherelle Parker (9th District) and Maria Quiñones-Sánchez (7th District). Council President Darrell Clarke called for a Special Election to fill these vacancies, wrapped into the November 8 election. Party ward leaders choose candidates for both councilmanic district-specific and at-large seats.
RECOMMENDED: Who’s running for City Council — the full guide
7TH COUNCILMANIC DISTRICT
The 7th District councilperson represents parts of North and Northeast Philadelphia including Kensington, Feltonville, Fishtown, Hunting Park, Frankford, Harrowgate, Norris Square and Juniata Park.
The winner:
- Democrat and political centrist Quetcy Lozada received 85 percent of the vote and will serve out the remaining 14 months of former City Councilmember Maria Quiñones-Sánchez. Lozada defeated Republican James Whitehead and Libertarian Randall Justus. Lozada is the vice president of community organizing for Esperanza and former chief of staff for Quiñones-Sánchez. Like her former boss, she will be the only Latina on Council.
9TH COUNCILMANIC DISTRICT
The 9th District consists of the Northeast and Northwest Philadelphia neighborhoods of Mount Airy, West Oak Lane, East Oak Lane, Olney, Lawncrest, Lawndale, Burholme and Oxford Circle.
The winner:
- Democrat Anthony Phillips, age 33, won 88 percent of the votes in order to serve out the remainder of former Councilmember Cherelle Parker‘s 14-month term. Phillips defeated Roslyn Ross and Libertarian Yusuf Jackson. Jackson is a PhD student, co-founder and executive director of the nonprofit Youth Action — and a former Parker intern. Like Lozada, Phillips describes himself as a political centrist. He lives in Mt. Airy.
AT-LARGE COUNCIL SEATS
The seven At-Large members of City Council don’t represent specific neighborhoods — and at least two of them are required to be from a minority party or independent. The two At-Large City Council members who resigned in order to explore a run for Mayor are Derek Green and Allan Domb.
The winners:
- Democrat Jimmy Harrity received 80 percent of the vote to earn an At-Large seat on City Council. Harrity is a former aide to state Senator Sharif Street, a political director for Pennsylvania’s Democratic Party, who is in recovery from addiction. Republican Drew Murray and Libertarian Poetica Bey received 17 and 2 percent of the vote, respectively.
- Democrat Sharon Vaughn received 81 percent of the vote to win an At-Large seat on City Council. Vaughn is a Feltonville resident and ward leader who has been working in City government as long as Anthony Phillips has been alive. She bested Republican Jim Hasher and Libertarian Marc Jurchak.
SPECIAL BALLOT QUESTIONS
Ballot Question 1: Yes
The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter will be amended to create the Department of Aviation and to transfer certain functions related to the operations of City airports from the other City agencies to the Department of Aviation.
Ballot Question 2: Yes
The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter will be amended to provide for a preference in civil service examinations for qualified graduates of Career Technical Education programs in the School District of Philadelphia.
Here’s a better explanation of what this means:
You made it to the end! Congratulations on being a super Citizen. Thanks for voting!