Updated 11:50 a.m. Nov. 6, 2019
The results are in, and yesterday’s off-year local election saw higher-than-expected voter turnout, a few polling issues, and little in the way of political shakeups.
In races for District Attorney and City Council, incumbents held off challengers, while a controversial new city parks tax was given the green light by voters.
Here’s a list of the projected local winners (vote totals can be found here), along with a few notes:
- Allegheny County District Attorney – Stephen A. Zappala Jr. (D). Here’s Zappala speaking to supporters about how he “changed everything about our criminal justice system.”
- Allegheny County Executive – Rich Fitzgerald (D). Even Joe Biden showed up, saying, “as goes Allegheny County, so goes the country.”
- Allegheny County Controller – Chelsa Wagner (D)
- Allegheny County Treasurer – John K. Weinstein (D/R)
- Allegheny County Council at-large (two seats) – Bethany Hallam (D) and Samuel DeMarco III (R)
- Allegheny County Council District 5 – Tom Duerr (D). This flip of a Republican-held district adds to county council’s Democratic majority and may signal a political shift underway in Pittsburgh’s suburbs.
- Allegheny County Council District 13 – Olivia Bennet (D)
- Pittsburgh City Controller – Michael Lamb (D)
- Pittsburgh City Council District 1 – Bobby Wilson (D)
- City Council District 3 – Bruce Kraus (D)
- City Council District 5 – Corey O’Connor (D)
- City Council District 7 – Deb Gross (D)
- City Council District 9 – Ricky Burgess (D)
- School Board District 2 – Devon Taliaferro (D)
- School Board District 4 – Pam Harbin (D/R)
- School Board District 6 – William J. Gallagher (D)
- School Board District 8 – Kevin L. Carter (D)
- Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Judge – Mary McGinley (D/R)
- Parks Tax Referendum – Yes
- Marsy’s Law – Pennsylvania voters approved the victims’ rights amendment by a wide margin, but the results won’t be certified until a legal challenge against the measure is resolved (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
If you’re bummed the election is over, remember: There’s another just around the corner. And if you sat out yesterday, get ready for 2020 by starting here.
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