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Pennsylvania, State Senate, District 15

Pennsylvania State Senate District 15
Current incumbentJohn DiSanto Republican Party
Population266,253
Ethnicity17.7% Black, 5.8% Hispanic
Voting age76.6% age 18 and over

Pennsylvania's fifteenth state senate district is represented by Republican Senator John DiSanto.

As of the 2010 census, a total of 266,253 civilians reside within Pennsylvania's fifteenth 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

State legislators
SalaryPer diem
$87,180/year$183/day

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.

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.

John DiSanto defeated incumbent Rob Teplitz in the Pennsylvania State Senate District 15 general election.

Pennsylvania State Senate District 15, General Election, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.png John DiSanto 51.72% 62,774
Democratic Rob Teplitz Incumbent 48.28% 58,591
Total Votes 121,365
Source: Pennsylvania Department of State

Incumbent Rob Teplitz defeated Alvin Q. Taylor in the Pennsylvania State Senate District 15 Democratic primary.

Pennsylvania State Senate District 15, Democratic Primary, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Rob Teplitz Incumbent 75.96% 19,076
Democratic Alvin Q. Taylor 24.04% 6,037
Total Votes 25,113

John DiSanto defeated Andrew Lewis in the Pennsylvania State Senate District 15 Republican primary.

Pennsylvania State Senate District 15, Republican Primary, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.png John DiSanto 50.70% 19,283
Republican Andrew Lewis 49.30% 18,748
Total Votes 38,031


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. Rob Teplitz (D) defeated John McNally (R) in the general election and defeated Alvin Taylor in the Democratic primary. McNally defeated William Seeds and Josh First in the Republican primary.

Pennsylvania State Senate, District 15, General Election, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngRob Teplitz 51.5% 61,139
Republican John McNally 48.5% 57,504
Total Votes 118,643

Pennsylvania State Senate, District 15 Democratic Primary, 2012

Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngRob Teplitz 50.9% 7,534
Alvin Taylor 49.1% 7,268
Total Votes 14,802

Pennsylvania State Senate, District 15 Republican Primary, 2012

Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngJohn McNally 48.4% 11,216
William Seeds 25.5% 5,908
Josh First 26.1% 6,049
Total Votes 23,173

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Pennsylvania State Senate District 15 raised a total of $8,852,633. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $465,928 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Pennsylvania State Senate District 15

Year Amount Candidates Average
2016 $3,510,427 4 $877,607
2012 * $1,821,463 5 $364,293
2010 $77,989 1 $77,989
2008 $1,620,591 3 $540,197
2006 $780,090 1 $780,090
2004 $457,531 2 $228,766
2002 $360,949 1 $360,949
2000 $223,593 2 $111,797
Total $8,852,633 19 $465,928
* Campaign finance data for 2012 is incomplete for this district.