Pennsylvania's one hundred and ninety-seventh state house district is represented by Democratic Representative Danilo Burgos.

As of the 2010 census, a total of 57,125 civilians reside within Pennsylvania's one hundred and ninety-seventh state house district. Pennsylvania state representatives represent an average of 62,573 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 60,498 residents.

About the chamber

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.

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 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 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.

Elections

2020

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.

2018

No Republican candidates ran in the primary.

2017

A special election for the position of Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 197 was called for March 21, 2017.

The seat became vacant following Leslie Acosta's (D) resignation on January 3, 2017. In late September 2016, it was revealed that Acosta had pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering, a federal felony, in March 2016.

Lucinda Little (R) was the only eligible candidate filed for the district. Democrat Freddie Ramirez was removed from the ballot via residency challenge. Democratic Party officials then nominated Emilio Vazquez, but did so past the filing deadline. Commonwealth Court Judge Anne Covey rejected efforts to see Vazquez added to the ballot. Green Party candidate Cheri Honkala was also denied a spot on the ballot after her nomination was submitted a day past the deadline. Honkala and Vazquez both pursued write-in campaigns.

On March 24, 2017, the Philadelphia Election Board tallied the write-in votes and found that Vazquez had won the special election.

District 197, which includes most of North Philadelphia, had an 85 percent Democratic constituency at the time of the election. The 2012 election was the most recent election in which two major party candidates faced off in the district prior to 2017. The Democratic candidate won that election with 95 percent of the vote. In 2016, Acosta ran unopposed.

Heading into the special election, Republicans controlled 121 seats in the 203-member state House. The special election, therefore, had no chance of shifting the chamber's balance of political power. Republicans, at the time, had a 34-16 majority in the state Senate, while the governorship was held by Democrat Tom Wolf, making Pennsylvania one of 19 states under divided government.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 197, Special Election, 2017

2016

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 Leslie Acosta ran unopposed in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 197 general election.
Incumbent Leslie Acosta ran unopposed in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 197 Democratic primary.

2014

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. Leslie Acosta defeated incumbent Jose Miranda, Danilo Burgos and Ben Ramos in the Democratic primary. Edward Lloyd, Jr. (D) was removed from the ballot on April 3, 2014, and Juan Rodriguez (D) was removed from the ballot on April 4, 2014. Acosta was unchallenged in the general election.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 197 Democratic Primary, 2014

2012

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. Jose Miranda (D) defeated Steve Crum (R) in the general election and defeated Jewel Williams, Kenneth Walker and Jamil Ali in the Democratic primary. Crum was unopposed in the Republican primary.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 197, General Election, 2012

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 197 Democratic Primary, 2012

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 197 raised a total of $696,650. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $40,979 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 197