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GraffitiTavern OP t1_izbaldd wrote

TL;DR

The state House saga continues. Essentially, House Dems have said since they won the majority(a 1-seat majority), they should get chamber leadership for now, even though they technically have the same votes as the Republicans, 101-101, since one of the elected Dems is dead. The issue is that the state House leader is the one who schedules special elections, and for now neither party has a voting majority. So Joanna McClinton has just been sworn in as House Majority Leader.

Two more Dem legislators, Austin Davis and Summer Lee, have just resigned and will need vacancies filled via special election as well. Which leaves Dems temporarily with leadership(and likely a legal challenge from the state Republicans) and 99 voting seats. All 3 special election districts are solid blue so it is very likely in a few months they will just have a normal(if slim) majority, but for now there is a weird legal limbo until at least February.

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MPA_Dad t1_izbqgwn wrote

Great summary. I’ll add that I know Leader McClinton to be a studious attorney, so this is not a move she would make without being completely sure that legal precedent is on her side. It’s going to be a very interesting few months while this gets sorted out!

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RipTide275 t1_izc0q5j wrote

You shouldn’t be rewarded for voting in a dead guy. Until his seat is filled D’s should be down a vote. I think that’s a fair compromise for Pa. Being a laughingstock for electing dead candidates

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RipTide275 t1_izc6r0k wrote

I didn’t suggest changing election rules. Work on your reading comprehension. I tongue in cheek suggested changing legislative procedure. Work on not being so easily triggered.

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artful_todger_502 t1_izc7npf wrote

Truth. A dead person doing nothing other than lying in his grave is better than a fascist working diligently to create chaos and dismantle all progress we've made in trying to become a civil, sane, and educated society.

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GraffitiTavern OP t1_izcpv2i wrote

You can run for two offices simultaneously, they both ran for and won reelection in their current state House Districts

EDIT: To clarify a bit further, they wouldn't have to vacate their current office until they are sworn into their new positions in January, but I think they resigned from both now to have the special elections completed sooner.

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IrrumaboMalum t1_izd4h95 wrote

That sounds like something that shouldn't be allowed, since it has the potential to create situations like this.

You should only be able to run for one office at a time, and you should have to resign from your previous office to run for another office.

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