Democrats run unopposed to fill 2 state House vacancies in Philadelphia

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Philadelphia voters on Tuesday will fill two vacant state House seats in special elections, and in both cases a Democratic candidate is the only person on the ballot.

Keith Harris is seeking to replace Rep. Donna Bullock, while Andre Carroll is in line to succeed Rep. Stephen Kinsey. Bullock and Kinsey both resigned in mid-July. Bullock took a job with Project HOME, a nonprofit that works to address homelessness, while Kinsey, who had not been planning to run for reelection, moved up his departure date and took another job.

Neither Harris nor Carroll has an opponent in the Nov. 5 general election, where they are seeking full two-year terms.

Harris, 63, is a Democratic ward leader and community activist who has worked to clean up graffiti in Philadelphia. The district is in the northern area of the city.

Carroll, 33, has worked in city and state government. The northwest Philadelphia district has overwhelmingly Democratic voter registration and is older and less affluent than the state as a whole.

The House has a 102-101 Democratic majority, counting the Bullock and Kinsey seats.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.