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State Representative, 49th 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.

Lancaster County: Lancaster Township, Millersville Borough and part of Lancaster city (2nd Ward 2nd Precinct through 4th Ward 2nd Precinct, and 6th Ward 8th Precinct through 8th Ward 9th Precinct).

CandidatesCompare by issue

Taxes & budget

  • Vanessa AcostaRepublican

    • Calls for a transparent, accountable state budget passed on time.

  • Izzy Smith-Wade-ElDemocratic

    • Attributes late state budgets to State Senate obstruction and calls for good-faith negotiations.
    • Proposes letting municipalities levy a payroll tax and set their own earned income and local services taxes.In office

Education

  • Vanessa AcostaRepublican

    • Calls for supporting families, strengthening schools and keeping neighborhoods safe so young people succeed.

  • Izzy Smith-Wade-ElDemocratic

    No documented position found.

Housing

  • Vanessa AcostaRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Izzy Smith-Wade-ElDemocratic

    • Prioritizes adding housing across the state, tenants' rights and decriminalizing homelessness.
    • Proposes banning pet fees and pet rent, allowing only a capped pet deposit (1% of monthly rent, up to $500).In office

Economy & jobs

  • Vanessa AcostaRepublican

    • Names the cost of living, public safety and the community's future as residents' main concerns.

  • Izzy Smith-Wade-ElDemocratic

    No documented position found.

Environment & parks

  • Vanessa AcostaRepublican

    • Says data center development should protect local resources, with local governments deciding how it happens.

  • Izzy Smith-Wade-ElDemocratic

    • Opposes new data centers; says developers, not residential customers, should pay for new grid costs.

Health & human services

  • Vanessa AcostaRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Izzy Smith-Wade-ElDemocratic

    • Proposes letting homeless people carry out life-sustaining activity in public when no housing is available.In office

Government & transparency

  • Vanessa AcostaRepublican

    • Supports voter ID, with IDs made accessible so no eligible voter is excluded.

  • Izzy Smith-Wade-ElDemocratic

    • Supports making it easier to vote, including by mail.

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; 7 issues covered in this race.