Rep. Krieger to resign from state House on Dec. 29

A special election for the state House seat held by Tim Krieger, R-Delmont, could be held early next year.

Krieger, who was elected Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court judge in November, said Wednesday he will resign from the state House on Dec. 29, the same day he is to be sworn in to a 10-year term on the bench.

“I will continue to stay in Harrisburg and do the people's work until then,” Krieger said.

The state House, of which Krieger has been a member for the past seven years, is scheduled to remain in session through the end of next week as lawmakers and Gov. Tom Wolf continue negotiations to end the six-month impasse that has left Pennsylvania without a budget.

Krieger's resignation will leave vacant the state House seat that represents part of central Westmoreland County — Greensburg, South Greensburg, Southwest Greensburg, Salem, Delmont and part of Hempfield.

Krieger's 111-vote victory over Judge David Regoli was made official Wednesday when the county election board certified the results from the Nov. 3 balloting. Judge Harry Smail and Unity lawyer Scott Mears won full terms on the bench.

Beth Lechman, voting system coordinator for the county election bureau, said the state House will schedule a special election to fill the remaining months of the House term once Krieger's resignation becomes official. The balloting would be held no less than 60 days after the vacancy, Lechman said.

“The state is required to reimburse the county for the cost of a special election,” Lechman said.

With Kreiger's resignation to take effect at the end of the month, it is possible the special election would be held in March, about a month before the state's scheduled primary on April 26, Lechman said.

In addition to nominating presidential candidates on April 26, Republican and Democratic voters will choose candidates for U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, all two-year state House terms and state Senate seats.

Rich Cholodofsky is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-830-6293 or rcholodofsky@tribweb.com.