With just over four months until the 2026 general election, many Democratic county committees have decided to make leadership changes.
Dauphin and Lancaster are two counties that have removed senior leaders and placed novel members at the top of the organization, while in other counties novel blood has replaced those who chose not to seek re-election.
Long time chairman in Dauphin County Rogette Harris was replaced by Mayor Steelton Ciera Dent. Harris held the position for 12 years, becoming the first African American elected as a Democratic county chair.
The writing was on the wall against Harris who she failed to retain her seat on the Dauphin County Democratic Committee in last month’s elections. Dent received 88 of the 136 votes cast by the committee.
“We as a county and as a commission should do more work,” Dent said. “We should be able to get more involved. We should be out there making sure we’re organized, making sure we’re strategizing and making sure we’re supporting our candidates not only when they get on the ballot, but after they win their seats.”
Lancaster Democrats replaced their leadership team With Michael Mezzetti AND Charlotte Brown receiving nods. Mezzetti is chairman of the Hempfield Area Democratic Committee and received 194 votes to overturn Tom O’Brien who received 68 votes.
Brown, chairman of the Lancaster Urban Area Committee, easily won over the former vice chairman Stella Sexton dropped out after O’Brien’s defeat.
Five former party chairs and multiple Democratic elected officials sent letters supporting Mezzetti and Brown’s campaign in the days leading up to Sunday’s reorganization meeting, citing concerns about O’Brien and Sexton’s top-down approach to leading the party. Mezzetti said he plans to apply a “bottom-up” model as chairman so each district can do what’s best for them.
“I am happy with the result and very happy with the further development of the situation and I hope that we will all unite,” Mezzetti said on Sunday.
In Lucerne County Megan Kocher was elected chairman after the previous head of the commission – Mary Anna Petyak – indicated that she was not interested in remaining in this position. She replaced Tomasz Szubila in November after his resignation following a vote of no confidence in him.
Kocher is a member of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party State Committee won the vote by acclamation. Wilkes-Barre controller Tony Thomas was elected vice-chairman.
“Therefore, my priorities will be to conduct open-door interviews to fill vacant positions in the party and attract new people to the team, develop our network and increase our online presence,” Kocher added. “Voter registration will be a huge priority over the next few years. I also plan to create several committees to address the specific challenges the party faces, such as a public outreach committee and a voter registration committee or a public events committee. So my plan is to put good people in leadership positions to get the work done so we can all make a big difference together.”
Lycoming Democrats he also brought in a novel list of officersheaded by a chair Chris Benson and vice-chairman Ariana Moore.
“Their energy and commitment to improving the lives of area residents was palpable,” said Secretary Barbara Hemmendinger, a longtime local activist.
Benson, a local author, journalist and longtime political activist, said among his priorities as county chairman will be helping to shape and pass the growing Home Rule initiative in the city of Williamsport. The study on the principle of self-government was approved by voters during the May primary elections.
Mayor of Phoenixville Piotr Urscheler Is novel chair in chester countytaking over Charlotte Valyoand will cooperate with the novel vice-president Michelle Smith. AND Debbie Noel takes over in Berks Countyit worked Kevin Merchant who stepped down after 12 years.
There will be the novel chairman in Lawrence CountyHow Tim Buck who has held this position for the past four years, is not seeking re-election. This committee meets on June 16 to cast votes.
