Pennsylvania's thirty-seventh state senate district is represented by Democratic Senator Pam Iovino.

As of the 2010 census, a total of 252,115 civilians reside within Pennsylvania's thirty-seventh state senate district. Pennsylvania state senators represent an average of 254,048 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 245,621 residents.

About the chamber

Members of the Pennsylvania State Senate serve four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Pennsylvania legislators' terms officially begin on December 1 the year of their election. However, legislators take the oath of office the first Tuesday in January.

Qualifications

Under Article II of the Pennsylvania Constitution, Senators shall be at least twenty-five years of age and Representatives twenty-one years of age. They shall have been citizens and inhabitants of their respective districts one year next before their election (unless absent on the public business of the United States or of this State) and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service.

Salaries

Pension

Legislators in Pennsylvania are able to retire at age 50, while other state workers cannot retire until they turn 60. In 2011, the average legislative pension was $35,221 annually, while the average state employee pension was $23,491. According to former legislator David Mayernik, who began collecting a pension of $29,583 a year when he retired at age 50, the lowered retirement age was intended as compensation for small legislative salaries as well as the uncertainty of serving in office.

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the senate, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat. The Senate President must call for a special election. There are no deadlines set in the state constitution on when a special election can be held.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Pennsylvania State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for April 28, 2020. The filing deadline is February 18, 2020.

2019

A special election for District 37 of the Pennsylvania State Senate, which was located in the Pittsburgh suburbs, was called for April 2, 2019. The seat became vacant after Guy Reschenthaler (R) was elected to represent Pennsylvania's 14th Congressional District in the U.S. House on November 6, 2018. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 26-21 majority in the state Senate, with three vacancies. The three vacancies were in seats previously held by Republicans.

Candidates running for special elections in Pennsylvania are selected by their respective political parties. Democrats nominated Pam Iovino, a U.S. Navy veteran who served as assistant secretary for congressional affairs in George W. Bush's administration. Republicans nominated D. Raja, a businessman who served as chairman of the Allegheny County GOP and previously ran for the seat in 2012.

The seat changed partisan control in the years before the special election. Sen. Matthew Smith (D) was elected to the seat in 2012 to replace retiring incumbent John Pippy (R). Smith defeated Raja by less than 5 percentage points in the general election. Smith resigned in 2015 to become president of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce. Reschenthaler won a November 2015 special election to replace Smith by 10 percentage points and was then elected to a full term in 2016 by more than 20 percentage points. In the 2016 presidential election, the district voted for Donald Trump (R) over Hillary Clinton (D) by 5.8 percentage points.

2016

Elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on April 26, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was February 16, 2016.

Incumbent Guy Reschenthaler defeated Edward Eichenlaub in the Pennsylvania State Senate District 37 general election.

Pennsylvania State Senate District 37, General Election, 2016

Edward Eichenlaub ran unopposed in the Pennsylvania State Senate District 37 Democratic primary.
Incumbent Guy Reschenthaler ran unopposed in the Pennsylvania State Senate District 37 Republican primary.

2015

A special election for the position of Pennsylvania State Senate District 37 was called for November 3. Candidates were nominated by parties rather than chosen in primaries.

The seat was vacant following Matthew Smith's (D) resignation on June 21, 2015, to become president of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce.

Guy Reschenthaler (R) defeated Heather Arnet (D) in the special election.

Pennsylvania State Senate, District 37, Special Election, 2015

2012

Elections for the office of Pennsylvania State Senate consisted of a primary election on April 24, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 16, 2012. Matthew Smith (D) defeated D. Raja (R) in the general election and was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Raja defeated Mark Mustio and Sue Means in the Republican primary.

Pennsylvania State Senate, District 37, General Election, 2012

Pennsylvania State Senate, District 37 Republican Primary, 2012

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Pennsylvania State Senate District 37 raised a total of $6,432,688. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $459,478 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Pennsylvania State Senate District 37