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State Senator, 24th District

Vote for
1
Term
4 years
Candidates
3
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.

Western and northern Montgomery County: Douglass, Limerick, Lower Frederick, Lower Pottsgrove, Lower Salford, Marlborough, New Hanover, Perkiomen, Skippack, Towamencin, Upper Frederick, Upper Gwynedd, Upper Hanover, Upper Pottsgrove, Upper Salford and West Pottsgrove townships, and Collegeville, East Greenville, Green Lane, North Wales, Pennsburg, Pottstown, Red Hill, Schwenksville and Trappe boroughs. The district also takes in eastern Berks County (Boyertown area).

Photo of Chris Thomas
Chris ThomasCampaign photo — Friends of Chris Thomas

Chris Thomas

Democratic

Former executive director, Montgomery County Democratic Committee; volunteer firefighter · Perkiomenville

The gist

  • Supports raising Pennsylvania's $7.25 minimum wage and creating statewide paid family and medical leave.
  • Supports banning surveillance pricing and dynamic pricing on groceries and other essential goods.
  • Proposes a "No Blank Check for Big Tech" plan: data centers meet their own power needs; no secret NDAs.
  • Supports holding utilities to account on rates and fast-tracking new energy projects, especially renewables.
  • Supports ending surprise medical billing and streamlining insurers' prior authorization process.
  • Proposes banning corporate PAC contributions, lawmakers' stock trading and lobbyist gifts; no pay for late budgets.
  • Calls for fully and fairly funding K-12 schools, child care access and universal free school meals.
More about Chris
View sources (1)
  1. Supports raising Pennsylvania's $7.25 minimum wage and creating statewide paid family and medical leave.

    Platform — christhomas.vote

    Campaign website · Friends of Chris Thomas · christhomas.vote

    “It is past time to raise the wage in Pennsylvania and ensure it keeps pace with the cost of living. … Chris supports establishing a statewide paid family and medical leave program”
  2. Supports banning surveillance pricing and dynamic pricing on groceries and other essential goods.

    Platform — christhomas.vote

    Campaign website · Friends of Chris Thomas · christhomas.vote

    “Chris supports banning surveillance pricing in Pennsylvania. … He also supports prohibiting dynamic pricing on essential goods like groceries.”
  3. Proposes a "No Blank Check for Big Tech" plan: data centers meet their own power needs; no secret NDAs.

    Platform — christhomas.vote

    Campaign website · Friends of Chris Thomas · christhomas.vote

    “Data centers must be responsible for meeting their own energy needs. … Secretive non-disclosure agreements should not be used to shut communities out of decisions that affect them.”
  4. Supports holding utilities to account on rates and fast-tracking new energy projects, especially renewables.

    Platform — christhomas.vote

    Campaign website · Friends of Chris Thomas · christhomas.vote

    “Chris supports fast-tracking investment in new energy projects, especially renewables, to increase supply and lower costs over time.”
  5. Supports ending surprise medical billing and streamlining insurers' prior authorization process.

    Platform — christhomas.vote

    Campaign website · Friends of Chris Thomas · christhomas.vote

    “Chris supports ending surprise medical billing so families aren't hit with unexpected, unaffordable costs. … Patients and care providers need this process to be drastically streamlined in Pennsylvania.”
  6. Proposes banning corporate PAC contributions, lawmakers' stock trading and lobbyist gifts; no pay for late budgets.

    Platform — christhomas.vote

    Campaign website · Friends of Chris Thomas · christhomas.vote

    “Stop Corporate PACs from writing campaign checks directly to candidates or parties. … Pennsylvania legislators shouldn't be allowed to trade individual stocks while serving in office. … If Harrisburg misses its constitutional deadline to pass a budget, legislators' pay should be suspended until they pass one.”
  7. Calls for fully and fairly funding K-12 schools, child care access and universal free school meals.

    Platform — christhomas.vote

    Campaign website · Friends of Chris Thomas · christhomas.vote

    “Fully, Fairly, and Adequately Fund K–12 Education … Universal Free Breakfast and Lunch”
Photo of Mike Schonewolf
Mike SchonewolfCampaign photo — submitted by the candidate to VOTE411

Mike Schonewolf

Green

Hospital environmental services (sanitation) worker · Skippack Township

The gist

  • Wants to stop construction of data centers and close existing ones.
  • Wants to raise the state minimum wage to at least $25 an hour.
  • Calls for capping or freezing electric bills and for legislation to fix the state energy grid.
  • Would end tax cuts for the wealthy.
  • Says he would try to shut down ICE detention facilities and will not take AI-industry money.
More about Mike
View sources (2)
  1. Wants to stop construction of data centers and close existing ones.

    VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Senator District 24 (Mike Schonewolf responses)

    Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania · onyourballot.vote411.org

    “I want to stop the construction of data centers, close current ones.”
  2. Wants to raise the state minimum wage to at least $25 an hour.

    VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Senator District 24 (Mike Schonewolf responses)

    Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania · onyourballot.vote411.org

    “I also want to raise the state minimum wage to at least $25 an hour.”
  3. Calls for capping or freezing electric bills and for legislation to fix the state energy grid.

    Pa. election 2026: What to know about the 24th Senate District race in Berks and Montco (Schonewolf section)

    News coverage · WHYY · Sep 4, 2026 · whyy.org

    “If elected, I would pass legislation to fix Pennsylvania's energy grid … We need to freeze the energy bills or freeze the cost to where it's affordable.”
  4. Would end tax cuts for the wealthy.

    VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Senator District 24 (Mike Schonewolf responses)

    Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania · onyourballot.vote411.org

    “I would get rid of tax cuts for the rich.”
  5. Says he would try to shut down ICE detention facilities and will not take AI-industry money.

    Pa. election 2026: What to know about the 24th Senate District race in Berks and Montco (Schonewolf section)

    News coverage · WHYY · Sep 4, 2026 · whyy.org

    “attempt to shut down ICE "concentration camps" … He vowed to never take funding from the artificial intelligence industry.”
Photo of Tracy E Pennycuick
Tracy E PennycuickOfficial portrait — Pennsylvania State Senate

Tracy E Pennycuick

RepublicanIncumbent

State senator; retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel · Harleysville

The gist

  • Supports voter ID legislation and has pushed a constitutional amendment so voters can decide on it.
  • Says local communities must have the final say on data centers; removed fast-track provisions from a bill.
  • Says affordability requires a more efficient state government so people are not taxed out of their homes.
  • Supports firm budget milestones before June 30 and penalizing politicians when a budget is late.
  • Wants seniors able to age in place without being taxed out of their homes.
  • Sponsored the SAFECHAT Act (SB 1090) setting safeguards for AI chatbots that minors use.In office
  • Introduced bills requiring doctors to screen for veteran status and train in veteran-related illnesses.In office

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

More about Tracy
View sources (4)
  1. Supports voter ID legislation and has pushed a constitutional amendment so voters can decide on it.

    VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Senator District 24 (Tracy E. Pennycuick responses)

    Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania · onyourballot.vote411.org

    “I support common sense voter ID legislation to strengthen election integrity.”
  2. Says local communities must have the final say on data centers; removed fast-track provisions from a bill.

    VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Senator District 24 (Tracy E. Pennycuick responses)

    Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania · onyourballot.vote411.org

    “Local communities must have the final say on data centers. … I amended the bill to remove fast-track provisions and protect local decision-making”
  3. Says affordability requires a more efficient state government so people are not taxed out of their homes.

    VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Senator District 24 (Tracy E. Pennycuick responses)

    Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania · onyourballot.vote411.org

    “supporting tax relief for families and small businesses to lower costs, opposing reckless policies that drive up energy cost”
    Pa. election 2026: What to know about the 24th Senate District race in Berks and Montco (Pennycuick section)

    News coverage · WHYY · Sep 4, 2026 · whyy.org

    “We cannot continue to tax Pennsylvanians out of their homes.”
  4. Supports firm budget milestones before June 30 and penalizing politicians when a budget is late.

    VOTE411 Voter Guide: Pennsylvania State Senator District 24 (Tracy E. Pennycuick responses)

    Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania · onyourballot.vote411.org

    “We should set firm milestones before June 30, so negotiations don't rely on crisis mode. … stronger accountability that penalizes the politicians when a budget is not passed”
  5. Wants seniors able to age in place without being taxed out of their homes.

    Pa. election 2026: What to know about the 24th Senate District race in Berks and Montco (Pennycuick section)

    News coverage · WHYY · Sep 4, 2026 · whyy.org

    “I want to see our senior citizens being able to stay in their homes”
  6. Sponsored the SAFECHAT Act (SB 1090) setting safeguards for AI chatbots that minors use.

    Pennycuick, Miller Measure to Protect Children from Harmful AI Chat Interactions Approved by Senate Committee

    Public statement · Office of Sen. Tracy Pennycuick · Nov 18, 2025 · senatorpennycuick.com

    “It would establish clear, age-appropriate standards for chatbots that minors interact with”
  7. Introduced bills requiring doctors to screen for veteran status and train in veteran-related illnesses.

    Pennycuick, Farry Introduce Legislative Package to Improve Veterans Healthcare

    Public statement · Office of Sen. Tracy Pennycuick · Dec 16, 2025 · senatorpennycuick.com

    “Senate Bill 1060 requires physicians to screen new patients of their veteran status”

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.