Pennsylvania's fortieth state senate district is represented by Republican Senator Mario Scavello.

As of the 2010 census, a total of 256,162 civilians reside within Pennsylvania's fortieth 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.

2016 pivot county

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

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.

2018

2014

Elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate 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 that election was March 11, 2014. Mario Scavello was unopposed in the Republican primary, while Mark Aurand defeated Joseph Capozzolo and Leonard Scott Parsons in the Democratic primary. Scavello defeated Aurand in the general election.

The Pennsylvania State Senate was a battleground chamber that identified as having the opportunity to switch partisan control in 2014. The Pennsylvania Senate had a difference in partisan balance between Democrats and Republican of four seats, which amounts to 16 percent of the seats up for election in 2014. District 40 in the SenatePhiladelphia City Paper as a battleground district that could determine control of the Pennsylvania State Senate. Republican Mario Scavello won the district and defeated Mark Aurand (D) in the general election. The district favored Democrats by 1 point.

Pennsylvania State Senate, District 40 General Election, 2014

Pennsylvania State Senate, District 40 Democratic Primary, 2014

2010

Elections for the office of Pennsylvania State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 18, 2010, and a general election on November 2, 2010. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 9, 2010. Incumbent Jane Orie (R) defeated Dan DeMarco (D) in the general election and was unopposed in the Republican primary. DeMarco did not qualify for the primary ballot, but received enough write-in votes to qualify for the general election.

Pennsylvania State Senate, District 40, General Election, 2010

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2014, candidates for Pennsylvania State Senate District 40 raised a total of $5,171,141. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $344,743 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Pennsylvania State Senate District 40