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.

Taxes & budget

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Proposes rolling back or eliminating the utility gross receipts tax, aiming to cut utility bills by 15% to 25%.
  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • 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 eliminating school property taxes by funding students' private education with existing state money.
  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Proposes regulating and taxing skill games and legalizing adult-use cannabis to raise about $2 billion a year.In office

Public safety

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • Proposes eliminating parole for violent offenders and ending asset forfeiture where no crime occurred.
    • Calls for a statewide ban on Flock Safety cameras and similar surveillance tools until state law sets rules for them.
  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Signed budgets funding about 2,000 additional police officers and state troopers, including four more trooper classes.In office

Education

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Supports Lifeline Scholarships, expanding state tax-credit scholarships, and joining the federal tax-credit program.
  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • Proposes privatizing public schools and giving each student an $11,500 education savings account.
  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Signed a 2026-27 budget adding $565 million for school districts through the adequacy and tax equity formula.In office

Housing

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Proposes HOPE for PA: redirecting state funds to cut property taxes by one-third and aid first-time homebuyers.
  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    No documented position found.

  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Proposes a statewide cap on rental application fees tied to the actual cost of tenant screening.In office

Economy & jobs

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Pledges to lift what she calls a ban on new drilling sites and to fast-track gas, pipeline and power plant permits.
  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    No documented position found.

  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Calls for raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour starting January 1, 2027.In office

Roads & infrastructure

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Calls for pausing new data centers and requiring them to supply their own energy and water, with local final say.
  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • Calls for an indefinite moratorium on new data centers until state planning law is updated to give towns the final say.
  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Proposes GRID standards tying data center tax breaks and fast-track permits to energy, jobs and environmental rules.In office

Environment & parks

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Proposes reforming or pausing state renewable energy and energy efficiency mandates.
  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • Proposes treating pollution as trespass under property law and opposes taxing natural gas fracking.
  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Proposes a Lightning Plan to reform energy permitting and siting and update alternative energy standards.In office

Health & human services

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    No documented position found.

  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    • Pledges that abortion will remain safe and legal in Pennsylvania while he is governor.

Government & transparency

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    • Supports requiring voters to show ID and to be U.S. citizens.
    • Pledges to audit state agencies and require reform plans before funding is approved.
  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • Proposes ending mail-in ballots in favor of in-person voting and requiring voter ID.
  • Josh ShapiroDemocratic

    No documented position found.

Courts & justice

  • Stacy GarrityRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Ken KrawchukLibertarian

    • Supports decriminalizing marijuana and other 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.