Got your calendar handy? The primary isn’t until May, but voters in parts of the state will be heading to the polls weeks before then due to special elections to fill four vacancies in the state House.

Another special election has been scheduled to fill a fifth vacancy in the state House on May 19, the day of the spring primary.

The special elections will determine who will fill vacancies created by the resignations of three Republicans and two Democrats in the state House.

The chamber has 203 seats but due to the vacancies, Democrats currently hold a 100-98 advantage. All of the special elections are in districts that would normally be considered safe seats, but the low turnout in special elections can contribute to shocking election results, such as the victory of Sen. James Malone, D-Lancaster, who flipped a seat that had been held by Republicans since the 1970s.

The first two special elections take place Feb. 24.

While Pennsylvania lawmakers are the third-highest-paid in the country, most of the vacancies are due to representatives resigning to take local elected positions.

Three of the vacancies were created when representatives were elected as county judges. County judges serve 10-year terms and are paid almost $235,000 — double the $113,000 pay of rank-and-file state representatives. House members stand for election every two years.

22nd District in Lehigh County

The Lehigh County seat was vacated when former Rep. Josh Siegel resigned in December after winning the race to become county executive. The 22nd District covers east Allentown and parts of center city Allentown and Salisbury Township.

The candidates vying to fill Siegel’s seat are Democrat Ana Tiburcio and Republican Bob Smith. Tiburcio is an Allentown School District board member and a small business owner. Smith is a former school board member and a health care professional.

Siegel was unopposed in 2024. He defeated Smith by 28 percentage points in 2022.

Democrats have held the 22nd District since 2007 when the district was located in Allegheny County. Republicans only picked the district up for one term after the then-incumbent switched parties.

The district was moved to Lehigh County for the 2014 election and Democrats have held it ever since.

42nd District in Allegheny County

The seat representing the 42nd Legislative District is vacant due to the December resignation of former Rep. Dan Miller, D-Allegheny, who was elected county judge in November.

The 42nd District covers Baldwin and Mt. Lebanon townships, and part of Upper St. Clair Township, as well as Castle Shannon and Dormont boroughs.

Democrat Jennifer Mazzocco, a high school teacher, will face Republican Joseph Leckenby, an attorney, in the special election to fill the vacancy.

Miller defeated his Republican opponent by 36 percentage points in 2024. Miller had held the seat since 2013 and Democrats since 2007.

House Speaker Joanna McClinton, under House rules, must schedule special elections within 10 days of when a vacancy is created. She scheduled the special elections for the 22nd and 42nd districts on Dec. 17 and then two weeks later, two more lawmakers quit.

March special elections

Voters in Adams and Blair counties will head to the polls next month to fill vacancies in two legislative districts formerly held by Republican lawmakers.

The special elections in the 79th and 193rd districts are set for March 17.

Rep. Lou Schmitt, R-Blair, resigned Dec. 31 after being elected county judge in November.

Schmitt was first elected in 2018. He was only opposed once and won by 40 percentage points. Republicans have held this seat since 1979.

Republican Andrea Verobish will face Democrat Caleb McCoy.

Verobish is a field representative for U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, while McCoy is a registered nurse.

Rep. Torren Ecker, R-Adams, resigned Dec. 30 from the 193rd Legislative District after also being elected county judge.

Republican Catherine Wallen, Ecker’s former district director, will face Democrat Todd Crawley in the 193rd District special election. Crawley is the former director of public and environmental health and safety at Harrisburg Area Community College.

The only time Ecker faced a challenger was when he initially ran for the 193rd District seat in 2018. He won that election by almost 40 percentage points.

May 19 special election

Finally, York County residents will be voting on May 19 to fill the vacancy in the 196th Legislative District created by the Jan. 31 resignation of former state Rep. Seth Grove, R-York.

Grove resigned to become the president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association.

Republican George Margetas will face Democrat Ron Ruman.

Margetas is an attorney and Ruman is a West Manchester Township supervisor.

Grove had represented the 196th District since 2009. He had not faced an opponent since 2010, when he won the election by almost 55 percentage points. Republicans have held this seat since it was moved to York County as part of the redistricting process in the early 1990s.