Expect more turnover in the state legislature with at least 16 lawmakers leaving to take new posts or announcing they will not seek re-election.   Six house members have been elected to new posts: Montgomery County Commissioner, Philadelphia Sheriff, Philadelphia City Council, Lehigh County Judge and Allegheny County Controller.  Several representatives and senators will retire at the end of their terms.

 The departures do not surprise Franklin and Marshall College Political Science professor Terry Madonna.  He says Madonna says since 2005, the house has seen 102 new members, with 20 new members in the senate. Several members died, others were defeated, resigned to take other posts or did not seek re-election.

Madonna believes some lawmakers are frustrated with the process in Harrisburg. He says many members were elected because they thought they could reform Harrisburg.  He says that has not happened, the state still has one of the weakest ethics rules in the country, one of the weakest lobbyist laws and one of the weakest campaign finance laws.

Representative Josh Shapiro (D-Mont) has been elected Montgomery County Commissioner. Representatives Dennis O’Brien (R-Phila) and Kenyatta Johnson (D-Phila) were elected to Philadelphia City Council. Representative Jewel Williams (D-Phila) was elected Philadelphia Sheriff.  Representative Chelsa Wagner (D-Allegheny) was elected Allegheny County Controller. Representative Doug Reichley (R-Berks/Lehigh) was elected Lehigh County Judge.  

Senators Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin), Jane Earll (R-Erie)  and Mary Jo White (R-Venango)  have announced they will not seek re-election or will retire, as have Representatives Jennifer Mann (D-Lehigh), John Evans (R-Crawford), Scott Boyd (R-Lanc), Ed Staback (D-Lackawanna), Tom Creighton (R-Lanc) ,  Ron Buxton (D-Dauphin) and  Dante Santoni, (D-Berks).