The Gist
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State

Governor

Vote for
1
Term
4 years
Candidates
3
Election
Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The Governor leads Pennsylvania's executive branch, proposes the state budget, and signs or vetoes bills passed by the General Assembly.

Governor and Lieutenant Governor are elected together as a joint ticket.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Taxes & budget

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Proposes cutting or eliminating the utility gross receipts tax.

  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • Proposes eliminating the state income tax over four years.
    • Pledges to veto every tax increase.
    • Proposes eliminating school property taxes.

  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Proposes legalizing cannabis and regulating skill games for revenue.In office

Public safety

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • Proposes ending parole for violent offenders.
    • Supports a statewide ban on Flock Safety cameras.

  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Signed budgets funding 2,000 more police and troopers.In office

Education

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Supports Lifeline Scholarships and expanding school tax-credit scholarships.

  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • Proposes privatizing schools via $11,500 education savings accounts.

  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Signed budget adding $565 million for school districts.In office

Housing

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Proposes cutting property taxes by one-third.

  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    No documented position found.

  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Proposes capping rental application fees at screening cost.In office

Economy & jobs

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Pledges special session to fast-track gas, pipeline and power permits.

  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    No documented position found.

  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Proposed raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour.In office

Roads & infrastructure

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Supports pausing new data centers until safeguards exist.

  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • Supports an indefinite moratorium on new data centers.

  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Proposes conditions on data center tax breaks and permits.In office

Environment & parks

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Proposes reforming or pausing renewable energy mandates.

  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • Proposes treating pollution as trespass and not taxing fracking.

  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Proposes Lightning Plan to reform energy permitting and siting.In office

Health & human services

Government & transparency

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Supports requiring voter ID and U.S. citizenship to vote.
    • Pledges to audit state agencies and require reform plans.

  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • Proposes ending mail-in ballots and requiring voter ID.

  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    No documented position found.

Courts & justice

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • Supports decriminalizing drugs and pardoning non-violent drug offenders.

  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    No documented position found.

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 10 issues covered in this race.