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| Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 17 | ||
| Current incumbent | Parke Wentling  | |
| Population | 58,819 | |
| Ethnicity | 0.6% Black, 0.5% Hispanic | |
| Voting age | 78.2% age 18 and over | |
Pennsylvania's seventeenth state house district is represented by Republican Representative Parke Wentling.
As of the 2010 census, a total of 58,819 civilians reside within Pennsylvania's seventeenth state house district. Pennsylvania state representatives represent an average of 62,573 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 60,498 residents.
Members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives serve two-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.
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 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.
| State legislators | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $87,180/year | $183/day |
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.
If there is a vacancy in the house, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat. The Speaker of the House is responsible for calling an election. There are no deadlines set in the state constitution on when a special election can be held.
This district is one of 710 state legislative districts that intersects with one or more Pivot Counties. These 206 Pivot Counties voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012.
The 206 Pivot Counties are located in 34 states. Iowa, with 31, had the most such counties. The partisan makeup of state legislative districts intersecting with Pivot Counties is slightly more Republican than the overall partisan makeup of state legislatures throughout the country.
Elections for the office of Pennsylvania House of Representatives 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.
Incumbent Parke Wentling (R) won election in the general election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 17 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Parke Wentling (R) |
100
|
17,434 |
|
|
Total votes: 17,434 |
No Democratic candidates ran in the primary.
Incumbent Parke Wentling advanced from the Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 17 on May 15, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Parke Wentling (R) |
100
|
4,363 |
|
|
Total votes: 4,363 |
Elections for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives 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 Parke Wentling defeated Wayne Hanson in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 17 general election.Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 17, General Election, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Parke Wentling Incumbent |
71.27% | 18,937 | |
| Democratic | Wayne Hanson | 28.73% | 7,633 | |
| Total Votes | 26,570 | |||
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State | ||||
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 17 Democratic Primary, 2016
| Party | Candidate | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Wayne Hanson (unopposed) |
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 17 Republican Primary, 2016
| Party | Candidate | |
|---|---|---|
| Republican | Parke Wentling Incumbent (unopposed) |
Elections for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 11, 2014. Wayne Hanson defeated Dennis Patrick Webber in the Democratic primary, while Parke Wentling defeated Gary Temple, David George Biros, Patrick James Gehrlein and Edward Franz in the Republican primary. Wentling defeated Hanson in the general election.
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 17 General Election, 2014
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Parke Wentling |
67.3% | 11,197 | |
| Democratic | Wayne Hanson | 32.7% | 5,435 | |
| Total Votes | 16,632 | |||
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 17 Democratic Primary, 2014
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Wayne Hanson |
59.8% | 1,865 |
| Dennis Patrick Webber | 40.2% | 1,252 |
| Total Votes | 3,117 | |
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 17 Republican Primary, 2014
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Parke Wentling |
42.7% | 2,039 |
| Edward Franz | 28.6% | 1,363 |
| Gary Temple | 12.8% | 613 |
| Patrick James Gehrlein | 12.2% | 582 |
| David George Biros | 3.7% | 177 |
| Total Votes | 4,774 | |
Elections for the office of Pennsylvania House of Representatives 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. Incumbent Michele Brooks (R) was unopposed in both the general election and Republican primary.
From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 17 raised a total of $455,623. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $23,980 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.
Campaign contributions, Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 17
| Year | Amount | Candidates | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $20,214 | 2 | $10,107 |
| 2014 | $120,774 | 7 | $17,253 |
| 2012 | $11,588 | 1 | $11,588 |
| 2010 | $20,992 | 1 | $20,992 |
| 2008 | $77,563 | 2 | $38,782 |
| 2006 | $88,174 | 3 | $29,391 |
| 2004 | $39,970 | 1 | $39,970 |
| 2002 | $39,300 | 1 | $39,300 |
| 2000 | $37,048 | 1 | $37,048 |
| Total | $455,623 | 19 | $23,980 |
