Elections for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives were held on November 5, 2002, with all districts being contested. State Representatives are elected for two-year terms, with the entire House of Representatives up for a vote every two years. The term of office for those elected in 2002 ran from January 7, 2003 until November 30, 2004. Necessary primary elections were held on May 21, 2002.
This was the first Pennsylvania House of Representatives election held after the constitutionally-mandated decennial reapportionment plan.
Make-Up of the House
Notable elections
Special election for the 100th legislative district
A special election for the 100th legislative district was held on 2056, following the April resignation of Republican John Barley, who had been the third highest ranking Republican in the House and Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. He had first announced his intention to retire in early 2002, only to change his mind in March when he unexpectedly showed up at a local party committee meeting, where he received the Republican Party endorsement.
Special election for the 2nd legislative district
A special election for the 2nd legislative district was held on August 14, 2001, following the May 2001 death of Italo Cappabianca. The local Democratic committee controversially endorsed Gayle Wright over Cappabianca's widow, Linda. Cappabianca decided against mounting a formal write-in campaign, citing time constraints, but encouraged voters to write her in as an independent candidate. Wright won the August 14 contest with 48.2% of the vote, with Cappabianca placing a strong second with 39.1%.
Special election for the 149th legislative district
A special election for the 149th legislative district was held on February 12, 2002 following the resignation of Democrat Constance H. Williams, who was elected to represent the 17th senatorial district in the Pennsylvania Senate. In that election, Republican Wallis Brooks narrowly defeated Democrat Daylin Leach. Brooks finished the remainder of Williams' term before losing a re-match to Daylin Leach in the 2002 general election.
Special election for the 176th legislative district
A special election for the 176th legislative district was held on April 23, 2002 following the resignation of Christopher Wogan, who was elected a judge of the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas in November 2001. Per the legislative redistricting plan enacted in 2001, the 176th district was moved from Philadelphia County to Monroe County. In that election, Republican Monroe County Commissioner Mario Scavello defeated Democrat Joseph Battisto, who had represented the nearby 189th legislative from 1983 until his defeat in 2000.
A special election for the 28th legislative district was held on June 26, 2001, following the resignation of Jane Orie, who was elected in March 2001 to represent the 40th senatorial district in the Pennsylvania Senate. Republican Mike Turzai, an attorney and former member of the Bradford Woods councilman, defeated Democrat Thomas Dancison by a 3-1 margin and captured every precinct in the reliably Republican suburban Pittsburgh district. This was the second election for Turzai, who unsuccessfully challenged Congressman Ron Klink in 1998.
Primary elections
In the primary election held on May 21, 2002, four incumbent legislators (two Republicans and two Democrats) lost their party's nomination. In the 19th legislative district, Democratic incumbent William Russell Robinson was defeated by Jake Wheatley, a staffer for Pittsburgh City Councilman Sala Udin, a Robinson rival. The Robinson campaign was criticized for a weak effort, finishing the election with cash left over.
In the 2nd legislative district, Democratic Gayle Wright, who had been elected in a 2001 special election, lost to Florindo Fabrizio. In the 97th legislative district, Republican Jere Strittmatter lost a surprising upset to Manheim Township Supervisor Roy Baldwin. In the 98th legislative district, Republican Thomas E. Armstrong lost to Lancaster County Clerk of Courts David Hickernell.