Last weekend, a local official declared his interest in running for the 79th District State House seat held by Lou Schmitt, who will be giving up that seat at the end of this year, having secured one of two open spots on the Blair County bench by winning the Republican primary and finishing second in the Democratic primary this month.

The local official was told that because of those two open judges’ spots in Blair County, it’s likely the governor would appoint Schmitt and fellow shoo-in Paula Aigner — who won the Democratic primary and finished second in the Republican contest — to those judgeships this summer, which could mean a special election this year for Schmitt’s seat.

Such judicial appointments by the governor this summer are possible — but unlikely, according to Schmitt.

There are many factors that could help determine whether it happens, but the main one that makes it unlikely is that the governor, along with the General Assembly, will be focused for perhaps months on the budget, according to Schmitt.

And if the budget completion is delayed for long, it probably wouldn’t make sense to make those judgeship appointments, because Schmitt and Aigner will be taking their seats on the bench about the end of this year anyway, Schmitt said.

Further, Blair has needed judges since January 2024, “and no one has appointed them (yet),” Schmitt said.

So it’s likely that Schmitt’s House seat will be filled by special election next year, according to the representative.

That process will begin when Schmitt is sworn in as judge, at which time he’ll submit his resignation to the speaker of the House, he said.

The speaker then must declare the seat vacant, which triggers the provisions of a state law that calls for there to be a special election to fill the remainder of Schmitt’s current term, which runs until the end of 2026.

The county committees of the two parties would each nominate a candidate to run in the special election, Schmitt said.

Only committee members who live in the 79th District — comprising Altoona, Logan and Allegheny townships and the Blair County part of Tunnelhill Borough — can participate in selecting the nominees, according to Schmitt.

A similar process would play out on the Democratic side, according to Blair County Democratic Chairwoman Gillian Kratzer.

The special election can’t take place until at least 60 days following the declaration that the seat is vacant.

That would mean it will probably be March before it could legally take place, Schmitt said.

Given that next year’s primary election will be held that April, it would probably make sense for the county election office to simply hold the special election as part of the primary, to minimize cost and effort, Schmitt said.

During the primary, there will also be an election for nominees to serve the next full term in the 79th.

The same individual can run in both the special election for the remainder of Schmitt’s current term and in the regular primary for the next full term, Schmitt said.

Having one person in both roles would actually be “the easiest thing,” Kratzer said.

It’s possible that the parties could decline to fill the seat for the remainder of Schmitt’s term, although that is unlikely, Schmitt said.

It’s not “optimal” to leave a district without representation for a year, he said.

Currently, the Democrats have a majority of one in the State House — 102-101, he said.

In addition to Schmitt, two other representatives — a Republican and a Democrat — are shoo-ins to take judgeships in their respective counties, and will need to be replaced for 2026, he said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.