So here we are less than one week away from the Tuesday, November 5, 2024, General Election, an election in which registered American voters will decide who they want their next president to be, who they want their Congress members and U.S. Senators to be, and then in local races, there’s a host of different political offices up for grabs.
In Pennsylvania, aside from the seats I just mentioned that voters will decide on, we also have to decide who our State Representatives will be; and in odd-numbered districts, who our State Senators will be.
In last week’s civics column, I shared a bit about the two candidates running for U.S. Senate in PA. There’s the incumbent, Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Casey, and there’s his opponent, Republican David Harold McCormick,
In today’s column, I’m sharing some basic background information on the candidates in PA running for Auditor General and State Treasurer.
Incumbent Auditor General Tim DeFoor, a Republican, was first elected in 2020 and is seeking a second term. His biggest opposition will come from Democratic State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta.
DeFoor grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He worked as an investigator with the Pennsylvania Office of Inspector General, a special agent for the Attorney General of Pennsylvania, and a fraud investigator and internal auditor for federal contractors and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – Health Plan. He received an associate degree in paralegal studies from Harrisburg Area Community College, a B.A. in sociology and history from the University of Pittsburgh, and an M.S. in project management from Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
DeFoor has been a member of the Greater Harrisburg Area NAACP and the Pennsylvania State Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #78. He has been a member of and chair of the Harrisburg Area Community College Foundation Board of Directors and served on the boards of the State YMCA of Pennsylvania and the Chris “Handles” Franklin Foundation.
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Malcolm Kenyatta, a Democrat, is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing District 181. He assumed office on December 1, 2018. His current term ends on November 30, 2024.
Kenyatta is running for re-election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to represent District 181. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024. He advanced from the Democratic primary on April 23, 2024.
Kenyatta is also running for election for Pennsylvania Auditor General. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024. He advanced from the Democratic primary on April 23, 2024. Kenyatta was born in Philadelphia, PA. He earned his bachelor’s degree in public communications with a minor in political science from Temple University. In 2019, he completed public policy training at Harvard’s Kennedy School. His career experience includes serving as a coordinator at the Graduate Medical Education Department at Hahnemann University Hospital and as the diversity and inclusion engagement coordinator for the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia.
The Auditor General monitors how public dollars are spent to catch waste, fraud, and graft. The office does this by conducting financial audits and monitoring whether state-funded programs are doing what they are supposed to do. The auditor general is elected for a four-year term, and the individual can hold that position for a maximum of two consecutive terms. Pennsylvania created the position as a politically appointed office in 1809, and in 1850, it became an elected position. There have been 50 Auditors general in Pennsylvania history, and this year’s incumbent was the 41st chosen by popular vote.
Now, let’s take a look at who are the two top candidates running for PA State Treasurer. The state treasurer is one of three elected row officers in the commonwealth and plays a crucial role in managing state dollars. They can serve a maximum of two four-year terms.
State revenue is deposited into the treasury, and the office uses the money to pay bills for things like contracts and workers. The PA State Treasurer also invests state savings and sits on the boards of Pennsylvanians two massive public sector pension funds. Republican Treasurer Stacy Garrity seeks a second term as State Treasurer. She will face off against Democrat Errin McClelland, a former substance abuse counselor and project manager for the Allegheny Department of Human Services, who many have said scored an unexpected primary victory earlier this year.
McClelland has focused on fighting pensions, privatization, and pushing for labor and environmental supply chain standards.
At the SCOOP USA Media Newspaper, we do not dare to “tell” registered voters who to vote for. However, what we do say is vote. Your life depends on it in every way.
Call 215-66-3462 to learn where the nearest Satellite Election office is in Philadelphia.
Have questions about the Tuesday, November 5th General Election? Here are phone numbers to call where you can get answers in the tri-state area. In Delaware, call 302-739-4277. In New Jersey, call 1-877-658-6837. In Philly, call 215-686-3462.
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