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State Senator, 12th District

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

What this office does: A state senator votes on Pennsylvania laws and the state budget and confirms many of the Governor's appointments.

Central and northeastern Montgomery County, entirely within the county: Franconia, Hatfield, Horsham, Lower Gwynedd, Lower Moreland, Montgomery, Plymouth, Salford, Upper Dublin, Upper Moreland, Whitpain and Worcester townships, and Ambler, Bryn Athyn, Hatboro, Hatfield, Lansdale, Souderton and Telford boroughs.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Taxes & budget

  • Robert F Costello IIIRepublican

    • Supports property tax relief programs so seniors are not taxed out of their homes.

  • Maria CollettDemocratic

    • Supports combined reporting to close the "Delaware loophole" in the corporate income tax.

Housing

  • Robert F Costello IIIRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Maria CollettDemocratic

    • Sponsors legislation limiting tax breaks for investors that buy dozens of homes in Pennsylvania.

Economy & jobs

Roads & infrastructure

Environment & parks

  • Robert F Costello IIIRepublican

    • Opposes large data centers in local neighborhoods; supports state oversight while keeping local zoning authority.

  • Maria CollettDemocratic

    • Says the state should pass guardrails on data center development.

Health & human services

  • Robert F Costello IIIRepublican

    • Proposes guaranteeing nurses a paid half-hour break for each eight-hour shift.

  • Maria CollettDemocratic

    • Sponsors the Patient Safety Act setting unit-specific minimum nurse staffing levels in hospitals.
    • Sponsors SB 268 to ban insurer copay accumulators, and a bill to require co-pay-free birth control coverage.

Government & transparency

  • Robert F Costello IIIRepublican

    • Supports public budget negotiations and forfeiting lawmakers' pay when the budget is late.
    • Wants easier voter registration updates and an online view of ballot counting.

  • Maria CollettDemocratic

    • Supports more ballot drop boxes, pre-canvassing mail ballots before Election Day and post-election audits.

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.