Democrats run unopposed to fill 2 state House vacancies in Philadelphia

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania — Voters in Philadelphia will fill two vacant seats in the House of Representatives in midterm elections on Tuesday. In both cases, a Democratic candidate will be the only person on the ballot.

Keith Harris is running to replace Rep. Donna Bullock, while Andre Carroll is running to replace Rep. Stephen Kinsey. Bullock and Kinsey both resigned in mid-July. Bullock took a job at Project HOME, a nonprofit that works to address homelessness, while Kinsey, who did not plan to seek re-election, moved up his departure date and took another job.

Neither Harris nor Carroll faces an opponent in the Nov. 5 general election, where they are seeking a full two-year term.

Harris, 63, is a Democratic ward leader and community activist who has worked to clean up graffiti in Philadelphia. The district is in the city’s north end.

Carroll, 33, has worked in city and state government. Philadelphia’s northwest district has overwhelmingly Democratic voter registration and is older and less affluent than the state as a whole.

The House has a 102-101 Democratic Majorityincluding the seats of Bullock and Kinsey.

Polling stations are open from 7am to 8pm