A special election to fill the vacancy in House District 32, created by the passing of Rep.-Elect Anthony DeLuca (D-Allegheny), has been set by Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) for February 7, 2023.

Allegheny County, in which the entirety of House District 32 sits, certified the results of the 2022 General Election on Monday. Those certified results include the election of the now-deceased DeLuca, which creates the vacancy that will be filled.

It is the first of three special elections to occur in the county in the first five months of 2023, as two other Democratic representatives are expected to resign to take higher office.

“Given the prospect of an evenly-divided House of Representatives, it is imperative we use the normal order of business in the House to ensure that this special election is called as soon as possible,” Cutler said upon his issuance of a Writ of Election. “With a vacancy created now, and more likely to come, it is a fundamental obligation the House, and its speaker, to bring about predictability and certainty in representation for Pennsylvanians.”

Rep. Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia), expected to be the Speaker of the House in the new session, took a swipe at Cutler’s move, tweeting “While the House Republicans and the soon to be former Speaker do not have the authority to issue a writ for the next session where he will serve as minority leader, we agree that calling for a special election at the earliest possible date makes sense.

“Therefore, in my capacity beginning tomorrow as Majority Leader and Acting Speaker, I will issue a writ of election when the new session begins to do just that.”

There are two other openings to occur in the PA House as Summer Lee and Austin Davis will not take their Commonwealth seats, as Lee won election to Congress and Davis will be the state’s next lieutenant governor. Both likely will be resigning their House seats before they can sworn into their new offices.

Until that occurs, the seats are not considered vacant and a special election cannot be called by the new Speaker. According to state statute, the elections will have to be held no later than the next primary election.

The February 7 date is almost as early as an election date could be set. The state election code (Section 628) reads “the the presiding officer of such house shall, within ten (10) days after the happening of the vacancy, issue a writ of election to the proper county board or boards of election and to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, for a special election to fill said vacancy, which election shall be held at the next ensuing primary, municipal or general election scheduled at least sixty (60) days after the issuance of the writ or such other earlier date which is at least sixty (60) days following the issuance of the writ as the presiding officer may deem appropriate.”

February 7 is 69 days following Cutler’s decision to issue the writ of election.

Candidates for the office will be selected by a process designated by their respective political parties, and the winner of the special election will take office after the results are confirmed.

DeLuca was declared the winner of the 32nd District race, garnering 86 percent of the vote to defeat Green Party candidate Queonia Livingston, despite his passing on October 9.

There will also be a special election in the 27th State Senate District following the retirement of John Gordner (R-Columbia).

HD32: ALLEGHENY County
Total population: 64,205

Part of ALLEGHENY County consisting of the TOWNSHIP of Penn Hills and the BOROUGHS of Oakmont, Plum (PART, Districts 01, 02, 03, 07, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21) and Verona.