State

State Representative, 13th District

Vote for: 1
Term: 2 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state representative votes on Pennsylvania laws and the state budget in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Chester County only (southern Chester County): East Nottingham, Elk, Franklin, Highland, London Britain, Londonderry, London Grove, Lower Oxford, New London, Penn, Upper Oxford, West Fallowfield and West Nottingham townships, and Oxford and West Grove boroughs.

Candidates Compare by issue

Madelyn Alvarino

Democratic

Former teacher and businesswoman

The gist

Supports raising the minimum wage.
Supports fair public school funding so school quality does not depend on local taxes.
Calls for lower prescription drug costs and stronger rural hospitals and community health centers.
Supports keeping Chester Water Authority systems public and protecting Octoraro Lake and Big Elk Creek.
Supports paid family and medical leave.
Supports an independent citizens commission to draw legislative districts.
Supports law enforcement with accountability, and policies that reduce crime and support rehabilitation.
Supports protecting access to reproductive health care under Pennsylvania law.

More about Madelyn

View sources (2)

Supports raising the minimum wage.
Madelyn Alvarino for State Representative | PA House District 13
Campaign website · Friends of Madelyn · Priorities: Affordability · madelynhd13.com
“Raise the minimum wage—no one working full-time should struggle to get by.”
Supports fair public school funding so school quality does not depend on local taxes.
Madelyn Alvarino for State Representative | PA House District 13
Campaign website · Friends of Madelyn · Priorities: Affordability · madelynhd13.com
“Fund public schools fairly so quality … education isn’t dependent on local taxes.”
Calls for lower prescription drug costs and stronger rural hospitals and community health centers.
Priorities | Madelyn Alvarino for State Representative
Campaign website · Friends of Madelyn · Affordable, Accessible Healthcare … Affordable, Accessible Healthcare · madelynhd13.com
“Lower prescription drug costs. … Strengthen rural hospitals and community health centers.”
Supports keeping Chester Water Authority systems public and protecting Octoraro Lake and Big Elk Creek.
Priorities | Madelyn Alvarino for State Representative
Campaign website · Friends of Madelyn · Responsible Environmental Stewardship … Responsible Environmental Stewardship · madelynhd13.com
“Keep CWA water systems public, accessible and affordable. … Protect clean water and open space, including Octoraro Lake and Big Elk Creek.”
Supports paid family and medical leave.
Priorities | Madelyn Alvarino for State Representative
Campaign website · Friends of Madelyn · Lowering Costs & Strengthening Our Local Economy · madelynhd13.com
“Support paid family and medical leave so workers can care for a new child, a sick family member, or their own health”
Supports an independent citizens commission to draw legislative districts.
Priorities | Madelyn Alvarino for State Representative
Campaign website · Friends of Madelyn · Ensuring Fair Representation and Transparent Governance · madelynhd13.com
“an independent citizens commission to ensure communities are represented fairly and voters choose their representatives”
Supports law enforcement with accountability, and policies that reduce crime and support rehabilitation.
Priorities | Madelyn Alvarino for State Representative
Campaign website · Friends of Madelyn · Safe, Stable Communities … Safe, Stable Communities · madelynhd13.com
“Support law enforcement while ensuring accountability. … Promote policies that reduce crime and support rehabilitation.”
Supports protecting access to reproductive health care under Pennsylvania law.
Priorities | Madelyn Alvarino for State Representative
Campaign website · Friends of Madelyn · Affordable, Accessible Healthcare · madelynhd13.com
“Protect access to reproductive healthcare under Pennsylvania law.”

John Lawrence

RepublicanIncumbent

State representative · West Grove

The gist

Supports requiring voter ID at the polls and for absentee ballots, and voting on paper ballots.
Supports a Taxpayers' Bill of Rights limiting spending growth and requiring a supermajority to raise taxes.
Supports school options for parents, including charter, private, parochial and home schools.
Opposes any sale of the Chester Water Authority and welcomed the court ruling upholding its independence.In office
Co-sponsored H.B. 2207 to raise the state small business loan cap for farmers to $2 million.In office
Proposes cutting the time utilities can rebill water and sewer customers for past errors from four years to one.In office
Proposed tax incentives for new dairy processing plants and methane digesters.In office
Worked to bring emergency room and hospital care back to JennersvilleIn office

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

More about John

View sources (6)

Supports requiring voter ID at the polls and for absentee ballots, and voting on paper ballots.
The Right Ideas for the Future | Friends of John Lawrence
Campaign website · Friends of John Lawrence · Secure Our Election System … Secure Our Election System · lawrenceforrep.com
“Require Voter ID - at the polls or by absentee ballot. … Vote via paper ballots, not electronic touchscreens.”
Supports a Taxpayers' Bill of Rights limiting spending growth and requiring a supermajority to raise taxes.
The Right Ideas for the Future | Friends of John Lawrence
Campaign website · Friends of John Lawrence · Protect Taxpayers' Money · lawrenceforrep.com
“Pass the Taxpayers' Bill of Rights that limits how much government can raise spending and requires a super-majority to raise taxes.”
Supports school options for parents, including charter, private, parochial and home schools.
The Right Ideas for the Future | Friends of John Lawrence
Campaign website · Friends of John Lawrence · Improve Education...For All · lawrenceforrep.com
“Support options for parents - public, charter, private, parochial, and home schools.”
Opposes any sale of the Chester Water Authority and welcomed the court ruling upholding its independence.
Cutler, Lawrence Applaud Supreme Court Ruling Upholding Chester Water Authority's Independence
Public statement · Office of State Rep. John Lawrence · Jan 21, 2026 · replawrence.com
“It is also an affirmation of the years-long effort to halt any sale of CWA”
Co-sponsored H.B. 2207 to raise the state small business loan cap for farmers to $2 million.
Friel, Lawrence: Bill modernizing lending for Pa. farmers moves from committee
Public statement · Office of State Rep. John Lawrence · Jun 10, 2026 · replawrence.com
“I’m grateful for the strong bipartisan support to modernize agricultural lending at PIDA … agricultural businesses are limited to loans of $400,000, far below the $2 million cap available to non-agricultural enterprises”
Proposes cutting the time utilities can rebill water and sewer customers for past errors from four years to one.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Protecting Customers from Years-Old Reassessed Water/Sewer Bills
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Nov 21, 2025 · palegis.us
“I will introduce legislation that reduces the lookback window from four years to one year.”
Proposed tax incentives for new dairy processing plants and methane digesters.
Lawrence, Stender: It's Time to Prioritize, Incentivize Dairy Processing in PA
Public statement · Office of State Rep. John Lawrence · May 15, 2025 · replawrence.com
“Pennsylvania is losing out to surrounding states like New York because of our state’s failure to be competitive in tax and regulatory policies”
Worked to bring emergency room and hospital care back to Jennersville
New Hospital to Fill Void for Emergency Care, Save Lives in Southern Chester County
Public statement · Office of State Rep. John Lawrence · Jul 28, 2025 · replawrence.com
“For the past several years, my No.1 priority has been bringing emergency room and hospital care back to Jennersville”

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; 8 issues covered in this race.