Type Upper House New session started January 2017 | Term limits None | |
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President/Lt. Governor Mike Stack (D)Since January 20, 2015 President Pro Tem of the Senate Joseph Scarnati (R)Since January 2, 2007 Majority Leader Jake Corman (R)Since January 6, 2015 | ||
The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such that half of the seats are contested at each election. Even numbered seats and odd numbered seats are contested in separate election years. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate becomes the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania in the event of the sitting Lieutenant Governor's removal, resignation or death. In this case the President Pro Tempore and Lieutenant Governor would be the same person. The Pennsylvania Senate has been meeting since 1791.
Contents
Map of Pennsylvania, USA
The President of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor, who has no vote except in the event of an otherwise tie vote. Following the 2016 elections, the Senate consisted of 34 Republicans and 16 Democrats.
Senate leadership
President of the Senate: Mike Stack (D)
President Pro Tem of the Senate: Joe Scarnati (R)
Membership
The Senate is made up of 50 members who are elected by district. As of 2017, the partisan breakdown is 34 Republicans and 16 Democrats. In 2012, a State Senate district had an average population of 254,047 residents.