State

State Representative, 170th 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.

Philadelphia only (ballot split 2-xx-170, in the 2nd Congressional District; no State Senate race on these ballots). Per the member's official site: the Northeast Philadelphia neighborhoods of Parkwood, Somerton and parts of Millbrook, Morrell and Chalfont.

Candidates Compare by issue

Rob Gurtcheff

Democratic

Fraud investigator · Northeast Philadelphia

The gist

Wants to stop utility rate hikes and supports raising the minimum wage.
Calls for full disclosure of healthcare costs in advance.
Supports fully funding public schools, with more fiscal accountability, to help lower property taxes.
Calls for full SEPTA funding in the Northeast and state money to repair local roads.
Says Pennsylvania's voting system is secure and any voter ID documents should be free.
Proposes amending the state constitution to remove the Uniformity Clause so taxes can be less regressive.
Supports state laws on the water, energy and land-use impacts of data centers.
Wants PTSD recognized as an injury for first responders.

More about Rob

View sources (3)

Wants to stop utility rate hikes and supports raising the minimum wage.
Your Guide to the 2026 General Election
News coverage · The Philadelphia Citizen · thephiladelphiacitizen.org
“running on a platform that includes increasing the minimum wage”
Issues | Rob Gurtcheff for Philly
Campaign website · Rob Gurtcheff for Philly · Lowering Costs · robgurtcheff4philly.com
“Stopping utility companies from hiking up our rates”
Calls for full disclosure of healthcare costs in advance.
Issues | Rob Gurtcheff for Philly
Campaign website · Rob Gurtcheff for Philly · Lowering Costs · robgurtcheff4philly.com
“Advocating for full disclosure of healthcare costs in advance”
Supports fully funding public schools, with more fiscal accountability, to help lower property taxes.
Issues | Rob Gurtcheff for Philly
Campaign website · Rob Gurtcheff for Philly · Bettering our Schools · robgurtcheff4philly.com
“Fully funding public schools to provide better opportunities to our families and lower property taxes … Increasing fiscal accountability and responsibility of our schools”
Calls for full SEPTA funding in the Northeast and state money to repair local roads.
Issues | Rob Gurtcheff for Philly
Campaign website · Rob Gurtcheff for Philly · Creating Safer Streets · robgurtcheff4philly.com
“Advocating for the full funding of SEPTA to the Northeast and demanding accountability … Securing state funding to transform and upkeep the roads in our community”
Says Pennsylvania's voting system is secure and any voter ID documents should be free.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 170
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“The current Pennsylvania voter system is as secure as it can be. … the government should provide the necessary documentation to each potential voter free of charge”
Proposes amending the state constitution to remove the Uniformity Clause so taxes can be less regressive.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 170
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I would like to change the PA State Constitution to eliminate the Uniformity Clause in our tax structure.”
Supports state laws on the water, energy and land-use impacts of data centers.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Representative District 170
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I believe that state legislature should enact laws concerning the impacts on water, energy, or land use from the development and operation of data centers.”
Wants PTSD recognized as an injury for first responders.
Your Guide to the 2026 General Election
News coverage · The Philadelphia Citizen · thephiladelphiacitizen.org
“getting PTSD listed as a recognized injury for first responders”

Martina White

RepublicanIncumbent

State representative · Northeast Philadelphia

The gist

Sponsored an education omnibus bill expanding EITC scholarships by $200 million and adding new tax credits.In office
Proposes a tax credit of up to $8,000 per child a year for non-public school expenses.In office
Voted for the 2026-27 budget, citing pension COLAs for retired police and firefighters and limits on spending.In office
Urged the House to pass a new second-degree murder sentencing law after mandatory life was struck down.In office
Proposes requiring at least 82% of Pennsylvania's electricity to come from non-intermittent sources.In office
Sponsored HB 1831 to prohibit wearing face coverings and masks in public spaces.In office
Sponsors HB 158 to reserve women's and girls' school and college teams for biological females.In office

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

More about Martina

View sources (7)

Sponsored an education omnibus bill expanding EITC scholarships by $200 million and adding new tax credits.
White Addresses Education Issues in New Legislation
Public statement · Office of Rep. Martina White · Jun 10, 2026 · repwhite.com
“expanding funding for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program by $200 million … They would do so without taking a single dollar away from our public schools”
Proposes a tax credit of up to $8,000 per child a year for non-public school expenses.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Child Learning Investment Tax Credit
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Mar 5, 2025 · palegis.us
“offer a tax credit of up to $8,000 per child, per year, to assist with educational expenses of children enrolled in non-public schools”
Voted for the 2026-27 budget, citing pension COLAs for retired police and firefighters and limits on spending.
PA Budget Invests in Working Families, White Says
Public statement · Office of Rep. Martina White · Jul 12, 2026 · repwhite.com
“We negotiated this budget in a way that helps working families and does not rely on the Rainy Day fund to do so. … Our retired first responders devoted their careers to protecting our communities”
Urged the House to pass a new second-degree murder sentencing law after mandatory life was struck down.
Additional Voting Time Must Be Used to Protect Crime Victims, White Says
Public statement · Office of Rep. Martina White · Jul 22, 2026 · repwhite.com
“Victims’ families from across the state need us to take swift action so that convicted murderers are not being released”
Proposes requiring at least 82% of Pennsylvania's electricity to come from non-intermittent sources.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Supporting Our Electric Grid with Reliable Energy
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Jun 5, 2025 · palegis.us
“My legislation will require that at least 82% of Pennsylvania’s electricity comes from reliable, non-intermittent sources.”
Sponsored HB 1831 to prohibit wearing face coverings and masks in public spaces.
Co-Sponsorship Memo: Prohibiting Face Coverings in Public Spaces
Government record · Pennsylvania House of Representatives · Jul 29, 2025 · palegis.us
“My legislation will prohibit the wearing of face coverings and masks in public spaces.”
Sponsors HB 158 to reserve women's and girls' school and college teams for biological females.
White: SCOTUS Ruling Means the Time is Now to Protect Female Athletes
Public statement · Office of Rep. Martina White · Jun 30, 2026 · repwhite.com
“ensure that interscholastic and collegiate athletic teams designated for women and girls are reserved for biological females”

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; 9 issues covered in this race.