Prokopiak Projected Winner Of 140th District Special Election

LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA —Pennsbury School Board Director Jim Prokopiak is leading Tuesday's special election as the new state representative for the 140th Legislative District, retaining the Democratic party’s control over the House of Representatives.

The election pitted Republican Candace Cabanas, a Falls Township native, against Prokopiak, a Pennsbury School Board member and former Falls Township supervisor.

In early voting counted, Prokopiak received 3,143 votes, or 85.36 percent. That was six time more than Cabanas, who garnered 518 votes, or 14.07 percent, according to the Bucks County Board of Elections. There were also 21 write-in votes.

Voter turnout stood at 9 percent, which officials said was lower due to Tuesday's storm which dumped several inches of snow on Lower Bucks County.

All election results are unofficial.

The 140th District includes 33 voting precincts across Morrisville Borough, Tullytown Borough, Falls Township, and some of Middletown Township.

About 3,700 votes were counted among 41,187 residents who were eligible to vote in the election. Absentee and mail-in ballots were partially reported.

Prokopiak was selected as the Bucks County Democratic Party nominee.

“The people of Lower Bucks County need a voice in Harrisburg who is willing to fight for them,” Prokopiak told Patch after his announcement in December. “For too many people, the American dream is drifting further away — housing and healthcare are too expensive, and many jobs don't provide for those basic needs. Our schools are not properly funded, and college and technical training are too expensive.”

Cabanas was nominated by the Bucks County Republican Party in December to run for the seat. She stated that she would help families make ends meet, support law enforcement efforts, fight rising healthcare costs, and provide quality education to children.

What Was At Stake?

State Rep. John Galloway's resignation in mid-December to become the Magisterial District Justice for Falls Township, split the PA House 101-101 between Democrats and Republicans.

Democrats had controlled the House by one vote when new state Rep. Melissa Cerrato unseated longtime Republican representative Todd Stephens in the 151st Legislative District in Montgomery County.

But then on Friday, State Rep. Joe Adams (R-Pike/Wayne) announced that he is resigning from his position representing the 139th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. There will be a special election for his seat sometime in the future.

That means that Democrats once again hold control of the House, 101-100.