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.

Candidates Compare by issue

Stacy Garrity

Republican

Running mate: Jason Richey

Pennsylvania State Treasurer · Bradford County

The gist

Pledges to lift what she calls a ban on new drilling sites and to fast-track gas, pipeline and power plant permits.
Proposes reforming or pausing state renewable energy and energy efficiency mandates.
Proposes rolling back or eliminating the utility gross receipts tax, aiming to cut utility bills by 15% to 25%.
Proposes HOPE for PA: redirecting state funds to cut property taxes by one-third and aid first-time homebuyers.
Supports requiring voters to show ID and to be U.S. citizens.
Supports Lifeline Scholarships, expanding state tax-credit scholarships, and joining the federal tax-credit program.
Pledges to audit state agencies and require reform plans before funding is approved.
Calls for pausing new data centers and requiring them to supply their own energy and water, with local final say.

More about Stacy

View sources (2)

Pledges to lift what she calls a ban on new drilling sites and to fast-track gas, pipeline and power plant permits.
Issues - Stacy Garrity for Governor (Turn Around PA Plan)
Campaign website · Garrity for PA · Unleash Pennsylvania's Energy … Unleash Pennsylvania's Energy · garrityforpa.com
“On day one, Stacy Garrity will lift the ban on new drilling sites that is holding Pennsylvania back … call a Special Session on Energy to fast-track permits for natural gas production, pipelines, and power plants”
Proposes reforming or pausing state renewable energy and energy efficiency mandates.
Issues - Stacy Garrity for Governor (Turn Around PA Plan)
Campaign website · Garrity for PA · Unleash Pennsylvania's Energy · garrityforpa.com
“reform or pause renewable energy and efficiency mandates”
Proposes rolling back or eliminating the utility gross receipts tax, aiming to cut utility bills by 15% to 25%.
Issues - Stacy Garrity for Governor (Turn Around PA Plan)
Campaign website · Garrity for PA · Make Life Affordable for All Pennsylvanians … Make Life Affordable for All Pennsylvanians · garrityforpa.com
“roll back or eliminate the gross receipts tax on utilities, end tax stacking on energy bills … slash utility bills by 15% to 25%”
Proposes HOPE for PA: redirecting state funds to cut property taxes by one-third and aid first-time homebuyers.
Issues - Stacy Garrity for Governor (Turn Around PA Plan)
Campaign website · Garrity for PA · Reduce the Property Tax Burden and Expand Homeownership … Reduce the Property Tax Burden and Expand Homeownership · garrityforpa.com
“HOPE for PA will redirect existing state spending, investment accounts, and interest earnings toward property tax rebates for homeowners. … supports first-time homebuyers through a new program in which the Commonwealth covers up to 3% of mortgage interest rates”
Supports requiring voters to show ID and to be U.S. citizens.
Issues - Stacy Garrity for Governor (Turn Around PA Plan)
Campaign website · Garrity for PA · Restore Fairness and Transparency to Pennsylvania · garrityforpa.com
“Every voter should be a U.S. citizen and show ID.”
Supports Lifeline Scholarships, expanding state tax-credit scholarships, and joining the federal tax-credit program.
Issues - Stacy Garrity for Governor (Turn Around PA Plan)
Campaign website · Garrity for PA · Put Students First … Put Students First · garrityforpa.com
“passing Lifeline Scholarships, investing in and expanding the state’s existing scholarship programs … opting in to the Federal Education Tax Credit scholarship program”
Pledges to audit state agencies and require reform plans before funding is approved.
Issues - Stacy Garrity for Governor (Turn Around PA Plan)
Campaign website · Garrity for PA · Root Out Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in State Government · garrityforpa.com
“require reform plans before funding is approved; audit state agencies from top to bottom”
Calls for pausing new data centers and requiring them to supply their own energy and water, with local final say.
Data Centers - Stacy Garrity for Governor
Campaign website · Garrity for PA · garrityforpa.com
“Pause new data center development until clear safeguards are in place … Require data centers to bring their own energy and water sources. … The people who live in the community should determine its future.”

Ken Krawchuk

Libertarian

Running mate: John Thomas

Information technology consultant · Abington, Montgomery County

The gist

Proposes eliminating the state personal income tax over four years.
Pledges to veto every tax increase and use line-item vetoes to cut spending.
Proposes privatizing public schools and giving each student an $11,500 education savings account.
Proposes eliminating school property taxes by funding students' private education with existing state money.
Proposes ending mail-in ballots in favor of in-person voting and requiring voter ID.
Proposes eliminating parole for violent offenders and ending asset forfeiture where no crime occurred.
Supports decriminalizing marijuana and other drugs and pardoning non-violent drug offenders.
Calls for an indefinite moratorium on new data centers until state planning law is updated to give towns the final say.
Proposes treating pollution as trespass under property law and opposes taxing natural gas fracking.
Calls for a statewide ban on Flock Safety cameras and similar surveillance tools until state law sets rules for them.

More about Ken

View sources (9)

Proposes eliminating the state personal income tax over four years.
On The Issues: Taxes
Campaign website · Ken Krawchuk for Governor · kenk4pa.com
“I’ll introduce a series of budgets that will completely eliminate the Pennsylvania personal income tax over four years.”
Pledges to veto every tax increase and use line-item vetoes to cut spending.
On The Issues: Taxes
Campaign website · Ken Krawchuk for Governor · kenk4pa.com
“I promise to veto every single tax increase. … I’ll aggressively use the line-item veto to eliminate unconstitutional and pork barrel spending.”
Proposes privatizing public schools and giving each student an $11,500 education savings account.
On The Issues: Education
Campaign website · Ken Krawchuk for Governor · kenk4pa.com
“Use current state funding to provide every student with an $11,500 Education Savings Account and let parents choose any school for their child.”
Libertarians Ken Krawchuk and John Thomas Kick Off Their 2026 Gubernatorial Race
Campaign website · Ken Krawchuk for Governor · May 17, 2026 · kenk4pa.com
“His solution is to privatize the schools by granting every child a $11,500 Education Savings Account”
Proposes eliminating school property taxes by funding students' private education with existing state money.
On The Issues: Education
Campaign website · Ken Krawchuk for Governor · kenk4pa.com
“Since every child gets a private education using existing tax funding, all school PROPERTY TAXES CAN BE ELIMINATED!”
Proposes ending mail-in ballots in favor of in-person voting and requiring voter ID.
On The Issues: Elections
Campaign website · Ken Krawchuk for Governor · kenk4pa.com
“Eliminate mail-in ballots in favor of in-person voting … Require positive ID for citizens to vote”
Libertarians Ken Krawchuk and John Thomas Kick Off Their 2026 Gubernatorial Race
Campaign website · Ken Krawchuk for Governor · May 17, 2026 · kenk4pa.com
“Topping the list is eliminating mail-in ballots and requiring ID to vote.”
Proposes eliminating parole for violent offenders and ending asset forfeiture where no crime occurred.
On The Issues: Crime
Campaign website · Ken Krawchuk for Governor · kenk4pa.com
“Eliminate parole for violent criminals. … End asset forfeiture where there has been no crime.”
Supports decriminalizing marijuana and other drugs and pardoning non-violent drug offenders.
On The Issues: Drugs
Campaign website · Ken Krawchuk for Governor · kenk4pa.com
“Immediately decriminalize marijuana and other drugs, and treat them like we do alcohol. … Immediately pardon all non-violent drug offenders.”
Calls for an indefinite moratorium on new data centers until state planning law is updated to give towns the final say.
Libertarian Governor Candidate Ken Krawchuk Calls for Indefinite Data Center Moratorium
Campaign website · Ken Krawchuk for Governor · Jul 22, 2026 · kenk4pa.com
“called for an immediate, indefinite moratorium on the planning, building, or operation of new data centers until the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code … A municipality should have the legal authority to say “NO!” whenever a proposed data center is incompatible with its comprehensive plan”
Proposes treating pollution as trespass under property law and opposes taxing natural gas fracking.
On The Issues: Environment
Campaign website · Ken Krawchuk for Governor · kenk4pa.com
“All forms of pollution should be treated as trespassing. … To encourage the continued economic development of Pennsylvania, there should be no taxation of fracking.”
Calls for a statewide ban on Flock Safety cameras and similar surveillance tools until state law sets rules for them.
Libertarian Governor Candidate Ken Krawchuk Calls for a Statewide Ban on Flock Cameras
Campaign website · Ken Krawchuk for Governor · Jul 29, 2026 · kenk4pa.com
“called for an immediate statewide ban on the use of Flock Safety cameras and similar surveillance technology until responsible, controlling, statewide legislation is enacted”

Josh Shapiro

DemocraticIncumbent

Running mate: Austin Davis

Governor of Pennsylvania · Abington, Montgomery County

The gist

Pledges that abortion will remain safe and legal in Pennsylvania while he is governor.
Signed a 2026-27 budget adding $565 million for school districts through the adequacy and tax equity formula.In office
Calls for raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour starting January 1, 2027.In office
Proposes regulating and taxing skill games and legalizing adult-use cannabis to raise about $2 billion a year.In office
Proposes GRID standards tying data center tax breaks and fast-track permits to energy, jobs and environmental rules.In office
Proposes a Lightning Plan to reform energy permitting and siting and update alternative energy standards.In office
Proposes a statewide cap on rental application fees tied to the actual cost of tenant screening.In office
Signed budgets funding about 2,000 additional police officers and state troopers, including four more trooper classes.In office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Josh

View sources (4)

Pledges that abortion will remain safe and legal in Pennsylvania while he is governor.
Pa. election 2026: Where governor candidates Garrity and Shapiro stand on abortion
News coverage · Spotlight PA (via WITF) · Jun 12, 2026 · witf.org
“As long as I’m your Governor, abortion will remain safe and legal here in Pennsylvania”
Signed a 2026-27 budget adding $565 million for school districts through the adequacy and tax equity formula.
Governor Shapiro Signs Bipartisan 2026-27 Budget, Securing Major Priorities
Public statement · Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania · Jul 12, 2026 · pa.gov
“$565 million increase through the bipartisan adequacy and tax equity formula for a total of $1.9 billion”
Calls for raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour starting January 1, 2027.
Gov Shapiro 2026–27 Budget Proposal to Keep Doing What's Working in Pennsylvania
Public statement · Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania · Feb 3, 2026 · Finally Increasing the Minimum Wage · pa.gov
“The 2026–27 budget once again calls on the General Assembly to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour beginning January 1, 2027.”
Proposes regulating and taxing skill games and legalizing adult-use cannabis to raise about $2 billion a year.
Gov Shapiro 2026–27 Budget Proposal to Keep Doing What's Working in Pennsylvania
Public statement · Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania · Feb 3, 2026 · pa.gov
“regulating skill games and legalizing adult-use cannabis together could generate approximately $2 billion annually”
Proposes GRID standards tying data center tax breaks and fast-track permits to energy, jobs and environmental rules.
Gov Shapiro 2026–27 Budget Proposal to Keep Doing What's Working in Pennsylvania
Public statement · Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania · Feb 3, 2026 · Ensuring Responsible Data Center Development in Pennsylvania · pa.gov
“Developers must bring their own power generation online or fully fund new generation to meet their needs”
Gov Shapiro Releases Full GRID Standards to Protect Pennsylvanians
Public statement · Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania · May 27, 2026 · pa.gov
“they must meet strong standards on energy affordability, clean energy generation, transparency, workforce development, community impact, and environmental protection”
Proposes a Lightning Plan to reform energy permitting and siting and update alternative energy standards.
Gov Shapiro 2026–27 Budget Proposal to Keep Doing What's Working in Pennsylvania
Public statement · Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania · Feb 3, 2026 · Leading the Way on Reliable, Affordable Energy · pa.gov
“The budget advances the Governor’s Lightning Plan, reforming permitting and siting laws, updating Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards, and creating new energy generation projects”
Proposes a statewide cap on rental application fees tied to the actual cost of tenant screening.
Gov Shapiro 2026–27 Budget Proposal to Keep Doing What's Working in Pennsylvania
Public statement · Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania · Feb 3, 2026 · Building More Safe, Stable, and Affordable Housing · pa.gov
“Establishes a statewide cap on rental application fees tied to the actual cost of screening and prohibits fees before a property is viewed”
Signed budgets funding about 2,000 additional police officers and state troopers, including four more trooper classes.
Governor Shapiro Signs Bipartisan 2026-27 Budget, Securing Major Priorities
Public statement · Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania · Jul 12, 2026 · pa.gov
“providing funding for another four cadet classes of Pennsylvania State Police Troopers … delivering in full on the Governor’s promise to fund 2,000 more cops and state troopers on our streets”

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.