State

State Senator, 48th 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.

All of Lebanon County. Berks County part: Albany, Bern, Bethel, Centre, Greenwich, Heidelberg, Jefferson, Lower Heidelberg, Maidencreek, Marion, North Heidelberg, Ontelaunee, Penn, Perry, South Heidelberg, Tilden, Tulpehocken, Upper Bern, Upper Tulpehocken and Windsor townships, and Bernville, Centerport, Hamburg, Leesport, Lenhartsville, Robesonia, Shoemakersville, Wernersville and Womelsdorf boroughs. Lancaster County part: Brecknock, Clay, East Cocalico and West Cocalico townships, and Adamstown and Denver boroughs.

Candidates Compare by issue

Wayne Moyer

Democratic

Information technology support, Klik Solutions · Berks County

The gist

Proposes combining school districts' duplicative administrative functions into large administrative districts.
Proposes using part of the savings from school administrative mergers to lower school taxes.
Calls for improving vo-tech schools to add qualified workers to Pennsylvania's workforce.
Supports keeping all health care, including immunizations, available to Pennsylvanians.
Opposes Pennsylvania involvement in ICE detentions; says immigration should be handled through legislation.
Supports efforts to keep utility bills from rising due to utility privatization and new data centers.
Supports balancing skill-game taxes with letting game revenue benefit the small businesses that host them.
Calls for state action on the environment as, he says, the federal government is trying to undo protections.

More about Wayne

View sources (2)

Proposes combining school districts' duplicative administrative functions into large administrative districts.
Wayne Moyer for SD48 — Home
Campaign website · Wayne Moyer for SD48 · Helping young Pennsylvanians gain careers · moyerforsd48.com
“combine the duplicative functions of all the various school districts into large administrative districts”
Proposes using part of the savings from school administrative mergers to lower school taxes.
Wayne Moyer for SD48 — Home
Campaign website · Wayne Moyer for SD48 · Helping young Pennsylvanians gain careers · moyerforsd48.com
“After a year, or two, part of it would be used to lower school taxes.”
Calls for improving vo-tech schools to add qualified workers to Pennsylvania's workforce.
Wayne Moyer for SD48 — Home
Campaign website · Wayne Moyer for SD48 · Helping young Pennsylvanians gain careers · moyerforsd48.com
“improve the Vo-Tech schools to be able to add more qualified employees to Pennsylvania's employee pool”
Supports keeping all health care, including immunizations, available to Pennsylvanians.
Wayne Moyer for SD48 — Home
Campaign website · Wayne Moyer for SD48 · Health should be in a women's hands · moyerforsd48.com
“Keeping all health care available to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Whether that means immunizations for children or adults.”
Opposes Pennsylvania involvement in ICE detentions; says immigration should be handled through legislation.
Wayne Moyer for SD48 — Home
Campaign website · Wayne Moyer for SD48 · About Wayne Moyer for SD48 · moyerforsd48.com
“make sure that Pennsylvania doesn't get involved with the illegal taking of citizens through ICE and the US Government”
Democrat Wayne Moyer to run for 48th Pa. Senate District
News coverage · LancasterOnline (LNP) · Jun 26, 2026 · lancasteronline.com
“Instead of widespread arrests on the street, Moyer said the way to handle immigration enforcement is through legislation.”
Supports efforts to keep utility bills from rising due to utility privatization and new data centers.
Democrat Wayne Moyer to run for 48th Pa. Senate District
News coverage · LancasterOnline (LNP) · Jun 26, 2026 · lancasteronline.com
“prevent consumer utility bills from escalating due to the ongoing privatization of utility companies and the addition of more data centers to the grid”
Supports balancing skill-game taxes with letting game revenue benefit the small businesses that host them.
Democrat Wayne Moyer to run for 48th Pa. Senate District
News coverage · LancasterOnline (LNP) · Jun 26, 2026 · lancasteronline.com
“Moyer supports a balance between taxation on skill games and allowing revenue from the games to benefit small businesses that host them.”
Calls for state action on the environment as, he says, the federal government is trying to undo protections.
Wayne Moyer for SD48 — Home
Campaign website · Wayne Moyer for SD48 · Environment · moyerforsd48.com
“What can Pennsylvania do to help this when the federal government is trying to undo this?”

Chris Gebhard

RepublicanIncumbent

State senator; insurance business owner · North Cornwall Township, Lebanon County

The gist

Sponsored SB 756 to tax and regulate skill games; said the proposed 35% rate is a starting point.
Says other PJM states' climate policies and the PJM price cap raise Pennsylvanians' electric costs.
Sponsored a constitutional amendment (SB 929) to bar school districts from collecting property taxes from July 2029.In office
Supported the 2026-27 state budget, citing a spending increase of about 1.4% and no new tax hikes.In office
Sponsored SB 1021 to increase penalties for assaulting, threatening or obstructing immigration enforcement officers.In office
Co-sponsoring a bill to let municipalities pause data center applications while they update zoning rules.In office
Sponsored a bipartisan bill requiring banks to report suspected elder financial abuse and to hold suspicious payments.In office
Supports ending state Medicaid and CHIP funding for gender-transition procedures for minors.In office

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

More about Chris

View sources (10)

Sponsored SB 756 to tax and regulate skill games; said the proposed 35% rate is a starting point.
Republican battle for Pennsylvania Senate seat centers on skill games
News coverage · CBS 21 (WHP) · May 16, 2026 · local21news.com
“these machines are real big issues and a public safety concern, and that we need to put some guardrails around them”
Senate Bill 756 Information; 2025-2026 Regular Session
Government record · Pennsylvania General Assembly · palegis.us
“Taxation and Regulation of Skill Gaming Machines”
Gebhard skill games bill opposed by lobbyists and local amusement company
News coverage · LebTown · Jun 5, 2025 · lebtown.com
“I've thought for a long time that the sweet spot can certainly land somewhere between the mid- to upper 20s, maybe 30%”
Says other PJM states' climate policies and the PJM price cap raise Pennsylvanians' electric costs.
Let's Talk About the Real Reason Energy Costs for Pennsylvanians Remain High
Public statement · Office of Sen. Chris Gebhard · senatorgebhard.com
“Pennsylvania ratepayers should not be penalized for producing the energy the region depends on.”
Republican battle for Pennsylvania Senate seat centers on skill games
News coverage · CBS 21 (WHP) · May 16, 2026 · local21news.com
“ways to find and to drive down those energy costs for everyone”
Sponsored a constitutional amendment (SB 929) to bar school districts from collecting property taxes from July 2029.
Gebhard, Mastriano Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Eliminate School Property Taxes
Public statement · Office of Sen. Chris Gebhard · Jul 15, 2025 · senatorgebhard.com
“would prohibit school districts from collecting property taxes beginning on July 1, 2029 … It is outrageous and unacceptable that property taxes are causing Pennsylvanians to lose their homes”
Supported the 2026-27 state budget, citing a spending increase of about 1.4% and no new tax hikes.
Gebhard Supports Fiscally Responsible Budget that Reins in Shapiro Spending
Public statement · Office of Sen. Chris Gebhard · Jul 12, 2026 · senatorgebhard.com
“This budget only increases spending by approximately 1.4%, well below the 3.9% rate of annual inflation”
Sponsored SB 1021 to increase penalties for assaulting, threatening or obstructing immigration enforcement officers.
Gebhard, Mastriano Call for Stronger Action to Protect Federal Immigration Enforcement Officers
Public statement · Office of Sen. Chris Gebhard · Jan 16, 2026 · senatorgebhard.com
“would ensure that individuals who assault, threaten or obstruct immigration enforcement personnel face consequences that reflect the severity of their crimes”
Co-sponsoring a bill to let municipalities pause data center applications while they update zoning rules.
Data Centers — Senator Gebhard
Public statement · Office of Sen. Chris Gebhard · Apr 21, 2026 · senatorgebhard.com
“co-sponsoring legislation to give municipalities the option to place a moratorium on data center applications”
Sponsored a bipartisan bill requiring banks to report suspected elder financial abuse and to hold suspicious payments.
Senate Committee Advances Gebhard Bill to Protect Seniors from Financial Exploitation
Public statement · Office of Sen. Chris Gebhard · Jul 8, 2026 · senatorgebhard.com
“would require financial institutions to report on suspected cases of elder financial abuse and empower the institutions to hold suspicious financial transactions”
Supports ending state Medicaid and CHIP funding for gender-transition procedures for minors.
Measure to End State Funding for Gender Transition of Minors Passes Committee
Public statement · Office of Sen. Chris Gebhard · May 6, 2026 · senatorgebhard.com
“This legislation ensures Pennsylvania taxpayer dollars are not used to fund these procedures.”

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.