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Voters in York County will head to the polls on May 19 to select a new state representative in a special election that coincides with Pennsylvania's primary day.
House Speaker Joanna McClinton has scheduled the special election for Pennsylvania House District 196 on the same day as the state's primary election. The election will fill the seat vacated by **Seth Grove**, a Republican who resigned last week after serving the district for 17 years.
Grove stepped down following conflict-of-interest complaints related to his new position as CEO of the Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association. His term was set to expire on November 30, 2026.
The decision to hold the special election on primary day is expected to save taxpayer money. Special elections held during the last legislative session cost Pennsylvania at least $1 million, according to an analysis from Spotlight PA.
However, the arrangement could potentially confuse voters. In the special election, state party committees will select candidates rather than holding primaries, and the winner will only serve the remainder of Grove's unexpired term. Unlike primary elections, voters don't need to be affiliated with a party to participate in the special election.
This creates a unique situation where York County residents might effectively choose their representative twice on the same day – once for the special election to complete Grove's term and again in the primary to select candidates for the November general election.
If the special election winner doesn't secure their party's nomination or win the general election, District 196 could see three different representatives before the end of 2026.
Pennsylvania has already scheduled five special elections this year, with voters heading to polls in February for contests in Allegheny and Lehigh counties, and in March for elections in Adams/Cumberland and Blair counties.