The Pennsylvania general election is quickly approaching but there is still time to learn about the candidates before Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 8. With Governor Tom Wolf’s, a member of The Hill School class of 1967, second term coming to an end, five major parties have nominated their representatives to be the next governor of Pennsylvania. Along with the election for governor, the general election also includes a ballot for a seat in the United States senate. 

The two most prominent names in the gubernatorial race will be Democrat Pennsylvania  state attorney general John Shapiro and Republican state senator Doug Mastriano. 

Shapiro is currently in his second term as attorney general for Pennsylvania and has been in the public eye for most of his professional career. The state attorney general has plans to prioritize creating opportunities for the children of Pennsylvania. To do this, Shapiro plans to pass legislation that will improve the state education system, cut taxes and improve the safety of children in the community. 

Republican state senator Doug Mastriano has been in the Pennsylvania state senate since 2019 and features a long list of military experience, including three deployments in Afghanistan. He prioritizes infrastructure, voter laws, and the right to life during his time in the state senate. The Republican state senator initially made a name for himself through his attempts to decertify the 2020 general election results in the state and his presence at the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. Mastriano aims to create legislation that creates stricter voting laws, despite widespread evidence of voter fraud, that includes voter ID, expanded poll watcher protections, increased penalties for voting violations, and the repeal of Act 77, a 2019 bipartisan law that expanded voter registration and mail-in ballot access  

With incumbent Sen. Pat Toomey deciding to not seek re-election, the race for senate has narrowed down to two candidates; Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman as the Democratic nominee and Mehmet Oz as the Republican nominee. 

Fetterman, whose cousin Jake Fetterman graduated from Hill in 2017, has served one term as Lieutenant Governor under incumbent Governor Wolf. Fetterman’s main concern in his campaign has been the economy. He aims to clean up the economy, claiming that the rich and powerful have corrupted the economy. The lieutenant governor also supports protecting and expanding LGBTQIA+ legal rights, implementing universal healthcare, and legalizing recreational cannabis.  

This race for senate is Oz’s first attempt at political office. Oz is a graduate of Harvard and received a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Oz was the host of a talk show for thirteen years before running for senate. He prides himself on being a “conservative outsider” who will fight for the establishment. Public safety has been a major topic in Oz’s campaign with a focus in funding and defending law enforcement. 

The deadline for voter registration is Monday, Oct. 24. To vote, one must be eighteen or older and a resident of Pennsylvania. Voting can be done through mail or in person. Locations for voting can be found online and the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.