Pennsylvania Treasurer election, 2016
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April 2016 |
November 8, 2016 |
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Timothy A. Reese  |
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February 16, 2016 |
April 26, 2016 |
August 1, 2016 |
November 8, 2016 |
November 17, 2016 |
January 17, 2017 |
Pennsylvania held an election for state treasurer on November 8, 2016.
Overview
State treasurers manage a state's finances, including debt, investments, revenue, and pension funds. In Pennsylvania, the treasurer also manages several public investment programs and investigates fraudulent use of public monies.
Incumbent Timothy A. Reese (Ind.) will not seek re-election in 2016, leaving the election an open race. Reese was appointed in June 2015 after previous Treasurer Rob McCord (D) resigned following a federal investigation into campaign finance violations during his failed 2014 gubernatorial bid. McCord was not the first state treasurer to leave office amid scandal: Former Treasurer R. Budd Dwyer (R) was convicted on federal charges of conspiracy in 1987 and subsequently committed suicide in front of reporters at a press conference.[1][2]
Pennsylvania currently has a divided government: Democrats hold all of the state's executive offices while Republicans control the legislature. No Republicans have held the treasurer's seat since 2005.[3] However, given the recent controversies surrounding Democratic state executive officials such as McCord and Attorney General Kathleen Kane, Democrats are in danger of losing the seat in November.
Candidates
Otto Voit (R)
President of Keystone Dental Group since 1987
Joseph Torsella (D)
U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, 2011-2014
James Babb (Lib.)
Advertising consultant
Kristin Combs (Green Party)
Green Party state chair
| Click [show] to view candidates who declined to run in this election. | |||
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Results
General election
Joseph Torsella defeated Otto Voit, Kristin Combs, and James Babb in the Pennsylvania treasurer election.
| Pennsylvania Treasurer, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Joseph Torsella |
50.66% | 2,991,404 | |
| Republican | Otto Voit | 44.21% | 2,610,811 | |
| Green | Kristin Combs | 2.88% | 170,275 | |
| Libertarian | James Babb | 2.25% | 132,654 | |
| Total Votes | 5,905,144 | |||
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State | ||||
Primary elections
Democratic primary election
| Pennsylvania Treasurer Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Joseph Torsella (unopposed) |
100.00% | 1,300,295 | |
| Total Votes | 1,300,295 | |||
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State | ||||
Republican primary election
| Pennsylvania Treasurer Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Otto Voit (unopposed) |
100.00% | 1,191,619 | |
| Total Votes | 1,191,619 | |||
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State | ||||
Context of the 2016 election
Primary elections
A primary election is an election in which voters select the candidate they believe should represent a political party in a general election. Primaries usually take place several months before a general election. Pennsylvania uses a closed primary process: in order to vote in a party's primary election, a voter must be a registered member of that party.[6][7][8]
Pennsylvania's primary election took place on April 26, 2016.
Incumbent Timothy A. Reese (Ind.)
Timothy A. Reese (Ind.) was confirmed by the Pennsylvania State Legislature on June 26, 2015. Reese, a business executive, had been appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf (D) in April 2015 to replaced interim officeholder Christopher Craig, who had assumed the office on January 30, 2015, upon the resignation of Treasurer Rob McCord (D) following a federal investigation into campaign finance violations. Investigators found that McCord pressured two potential contributors to his failed gubernatorial run in 2014 by tying their donations to continued business with state offices.[9] Reese declined to seek a full term in 2016.
Party control in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is usually regarded as a swing state, though the presidential nomination has gone to a Democrat since 1988.[10] It currently has a divided government. Republicans have controlled the General Assembly for much of the last 20 years; Governor Tom Wolf's election in 2014 ended a three-year Republican trifecta. However, as of January 2016 approval ratings for the state government were extremely low: 35 percent for Gov. Wolf and 15 percent for the Republican-controlled legislature.[11]
Democrats hold all of Pennsylvania's elected state executive offices. Since 1953, only four Republicans have occupied the treasurer's office, compared to nine Democrats.[3] The current treasurer is a registered independent.[12] Despite this partisan dominance, Democrats are at risk of losing the treasurer seat in November given the recent controversies surrounding Democratic state officials such as Rob McCord and former Attorney General Kathleen Kane.
Pennsylvania Party Control: 1992-2025
One year of a Democratic trifecta • Twelve years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | _ |
Campaigns
Endorsements
| Key endorsements | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Torsella (D)[13][14][15] | Otto Voit (R)[16] | ||||||||
| Former Governor Ed Rendell (D) | Republican Party of Pennsylvania | ||||||||
| Philadelphia Building Trades | Former State Senator Earl M. Baker (R) | ||||||||
| ASFCME Council 13 Statewide Steering Committee | Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach | ||||||||
| Pennsylvania Democratic Party | Berks County GOP Executive Committee | ||||||||
| Cambria County Democratic Party | Major General Bill Lynch, Secretary of Dept. of Military & Veterans Affairs | ||||||||
| What is a key endorsement? | |||||||||
Campaign finance
| Joseph Torsella Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| Pennsylvania Department of State | January 1, 2016-March 7, 2016 | $1,504,860.24 | $134,400.19 | $(91,667.67) | $1,547,592.76 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $134,400.19 | $(91,667.67) | ||||||||
| Otto Voit Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| Pennsylvania Department of State | January 1, 2016-March 7, 2016 | $504,565.81 | $1,000 | $(68,870.65) | $436,695.16 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $1,000 | $(68,870.65) | ||||||||
Campaign media
Note: If a candidate is not listed below, Ballotpedia staff were unable to locate any campaign media for that candidate. Do you know of any? Tell us!
Democrats
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Republicans
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About the office
State treasurers manage state finances, including revenue, investments, debts, and pension funds; they are also often tasked with preventing fraudulent use of public money. The duties of a treasurer can overlap with an auditor or comptroller, depending on the state. In Pennsylvania, the treasurer serves as the state's banker and manages several public savings and investment programs. The department also manages real estate contracts, presides over tax appeals, and investigates fraud.
In addition to the June 2015 resignation of Treasurer Rob McCord (D) following a federal investigation, the office of the Pennsylvania treasurer is no stranger to scandal. In 1987, Treasurer R. Budd Dwyer (R) committed suicide via a self-inflicted gunshot wound in front of reporters at a press conference he scheduled after he was convicted on federal charges of conspiracy to commit bribery.[2][1]
The office has also been used as a stepping stone to higher office with varying degrees of success: Former Treasurer Catherine Baker Knoll (D), who served from 1989 to1997, went on to become the state's first female lieutenant governor; Bob Casey, Jr. (D), who served from 2005 to 2007, is a U.S. Senator.[3][17] Casey, McCord, and Barbara Hafer (R), who served from 1997 to 2005, all ran unsuccessfully for governor.
Current officeholder
The current officeholder is Timothy A. Reese, who was confirmed by the Pennsylvania State Legislature on June 26, 2015.
Authority
The state Constitution establishes the office of treasurer in Article IV, Section 1:
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The Executive Department of this Commonwealth shall consist of a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Auditor General, State Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction and such other officers as the General Assembly may from time to time prescribe. |
Qualifications
There are no specific qualifications for this office.
Past elections
2012
Incumbent Rob McCord (D) defeated Diana Irey Vaughan (R) and Patricia Fryman (L) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[18] He was first elected in 2008.
| Pennsylvania Treasurer General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Rob McCord Incumbent |
52.5% | 2,872,344 | |
| Republican | Diana Irey Vaughan | 44% | 2,405,654 | |
| Libertarian | Patricia Fryman | 3.5% | 190,406 | |
| Total Votes | 5,468,404 | |||
| Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State | ||||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Robert McCord won election to the office of Pennsylvania Treasurer. He defeated Tom Ellis (R) and Berlie Etzel (L) in the general election.
| Pennsylvania Treasurer, 2008 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Robert McCord |
55% | 3,104,242 | |
| Republican | Tom Ellis | 42.9% | 2,422,608 | |
| Libertarian | Berlie Etzel | 2.1% | 119,748 | |
| Total Votes | 5,646,598 | |||
| Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State. | ||||
2004
On November 2, 2004, Bob Casey won election to the office of Pennsylvania Treasurer. He defeated Jean Craige Pepper (R) and third third-party candidates in the general election.
| Pennsylvania Treasurer, 2004 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Bob Casey |
61.3% | 3,353,489 | |
| Republican | Jean Craige Pepper | 36.5% | 1,997,951 | |
| Libertarian | Darryl W. Perry | 1.1% | 61,238 | |
| Green | Paul Teese | 0.7% | 40,740 | |
| Constitution | Max Lampenfeld | 0.4% | 20,406 | |
| Total Votes | 5,473,824 | |||
| Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State. | ||||
2000
On November 7, 2000, Barbara Hafer won re-election to the office of Pennsylvania Treasurer. She defeated Catherine Baker Knoll (D) and four third-party candidates in the general election.
| Pennsylvania Treasurer, 2000 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Barbara Hafer Incumbent |
49.3% | 2,307,422 | |
| Democratic | Catherine Baker Knoll | 47.2% | 2,211,471 | |
| Green | Barbara S. Knox | 1.5% | 68,805 | |
| Constitution | John P. McDermott | 0.9% | 41,093 | |
| Libertarian | John D. Famularo | 0.7% | 30,867 | |
| Reform | Joseph F. Patterson | 0.5% | 21,276 | |
| Total Votes | 4,680,934 | |||
| Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State. | ||||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Pennsylvania treasurer election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
State profile
| Demographic data for Pennsylvania | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 12,791,904 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 44,743 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 81.6% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 11% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 3.1% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.1% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 6.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 89.2% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 28.6% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $53,599 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 15.9% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Pennsylvania. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
Pennsylvania voted for the Democratic candidate in five out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, three are located in Pennsylvania, accounting for 1.46 percent of the total pivot counties.[19]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Pennsylvania had one Retained Pivot County and two Boomerang Pivot Counties, accounting for 0.55 and 8.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.
More Pennsylvania coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Pennsylvania
- United States congressional delegations from Pennsylvania
- Public policy in Pennsylvania
- Endorsers in Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania fact checks
- More...
See also
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Pennsylvania government: |
Previous elections: |
Ballotpedia exclusives: |
External links
- The Office of the Pennsylvania State Treasurer
- The Office of the Pennsylvania State Treasurer, About the Office
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The New York Times, "Official calls in press and kills himself," January 23, 1987
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DW9eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nGENAAAAIBAJ&pg=1346%2C2427748 Observer-Reporter, "Dwyer must resign or face dismissal, Zimmerman says," January 22, 1987]
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Pennsylvania Manual, "Section 4," accessed March 31, 2016
- ↑ ‘’Pennsylvania Department of State,’’ “Election Information,” accessed February 17, 2016
- ↑ post-gazette.com, "Albert Baker Knoll, son of former Lt. Gov. running for state treasurer," January 14, 2016
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures Website, "State Primary Election Types," accessed January 6, 2014
- ↑ Fair Vote, "Congressional and Presidential Primaries: Open, Closed, Semi-Closed, and 'Top Two,'" accessed January 6, 2014
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Pennsylvania state treasurer quits, will plead guilty to campaign finance charges," January 30, 2015
- ↑ Governing.com, "Will Swing States Increase in the 2016 Presidential Election?" December 9, 2015
- ↑ The Morning Call, "Voter disgust hits record high for PA government and politicians, poll finds," January 26, 2016
- ↑ PoliticsPA, "Tim Reese Confirmed as State Treasurer," June 29, 2015
- ↑ Joe Torsella, "News," accessed March 30, 2016
- ↑ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette," Dems state committee favor, but do not endorse, McGinty and Zappala," March 5, 2016
- ↑ The Tribune-Democrat, "Cambria County Democrats plan four rallies," March 23, 2016
- ↑ Otto Voit, "Endorsements," accessed March 30, 2016
- ↑ Pittsburg Post-Gazette, "Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll dies at age 78," November 13, 2008
- ↑ Philadelphia Inquirer, "Election Results 2012," accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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