Republicans Win Key Seats in Lancaster County Elections
Lancaster County voters reelected Governor Josh Shapiro and several Republican legislators, while rejecting a proposed property tax for public libraries.
Voters in Lancaster County concluded the 2026 elections with a series of Republican gains and the reelection of Governor Josh Shapiro to a second term. Republicans reclaimed the 36th Senate District and secured victories for U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, State Rep. Dave Zimmerman, State Senator Chris Gebhard, and State Rep. Dave Nissley. Additionally, Lancaster County Clerk of Courts Nicky Woods won the 98th House District seat.
Democratic Representative Nikki Rivera held her seat in the 96th House District, and Izzy Smith-Wade-El won a third term in the 49th House District. The race for the 41st House District remains the most contested; Republican incumbent Brett Miller holds a narrow lead over Democrat Brad Chambers, separated by fewer than 100 votes. The Lancaster County Board of Elections is scheduled to meet Friday morning to count 175 provisional ballots and approximately 55 overseas and military ballots to finalize the result.
Beyond legislative races, voters rejected a proposed .55 mill property tax intended to fund the county's 14 public libraries. The measure failed by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, with 132,831 voters opposing the tax compared to 76,844 in favor.
