In this General Election, there will be one Ballot Question on our ballots in the 15th Ward. This past February, the County Council passed an ordinance that proposed an amendment to the County Home Rule Charter.
The amendment text that will appear on your ballot on November 8, is as follows:
The Question: Shall Article III, Subsection 6(b) of Allegheny County’s Home Rule Charter be repealed in order to allow Members of County Council the same freedom of right to seek other elected office as is accorded to all other independently elected officials in Allegheny County, such that Council Members are permitted to run for nomination or election to elected office other than that of County Council Member without first having to resign from County Council?
Currently, the Allegheny County Home Rule Charter states the following in Subsection 6:
A County Council Member shall not be a candidate for nomination or election to any elected political office other than that of County Council without having first resigned from County Council.
Voting “Yes” on this ballot question, will repeal this subsection, enabling County Council Members to run for an elected office other than County Council while serving on the County Council.
Voting “No” will maintain this rule for County Council. County Council Members will need to resign before they may run for an elected office other than County Council.
This rule, as stated, does not apply to any other County Elected Office, only County Council. The requirement for County Executive in the same subsection, is that they may not run for another County Office while holding their seat. Also, county council vacancies are filled by appointment, not by special election.
For additional context, the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter, and the Pennsylvania State law do not have requirements for whether sitting elected officials may run for another elected office. The only restriction for public employees at local and state government levels we’re aware of is an ordinance in Pittsburgh City Code that does not allow active police officers to run for office. They are permitted to run for a political or public while on an unpaid leave of absence.
Philadelphia does have a so-called “resign to run” rule, where any city employee must resign before running for elected office. Because of this rule, and the mayoral election in Philadelphia next year, several city council seats have been vacated and several committees left without leadership.
In March 2011, Rich Fitzgerald resigned from his position as County Council President in order to run for his position as County Chief Executive.
If you need any assistance with registering to vote, applying for a mail in ballot, have questions about your ballot, polling place, or would like assistance in getting to your polling place on November 8th, please contact us.