Pennsylvania › Lancaster County › Pennsylvania House District 97
2 candidates are tracked for Pennsylvania House District 97 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Jess Branas and Steve Mentzer. Candidate information follows official Lancaster County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Jess Branas (Democratic), Steve Mentzer (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Steve Mentzer is the sitting member, per the General Assembly's roster. Jess Branas was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Steve Mentzer was unopposed in the Republican primary. Pennsylvania nominates by plurality (no runoffs); unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Department of State's official May 19 primary returns (electionreturns.pa.gov) with the Department's post-primary withdrawal listing; independent and minor-party candidates who filed nomination papers are added when the Department of State posts the certified general-election list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Democratic
Jess Branas is a former foreign language educator and former Upper Darby Township council member. She is the Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania House District 97, challenging Republican incumbent Steve Mentzer, per LancasterOnline. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 7, 2026.
Republican · Incumbent
Steven C. Mentzer is the Republican state representative for House District 97, representing part of Lancaster County, per the Pennsylvania General Assembly's website. He chairs the House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee for Republicans and attended Elizabethtown College, per his legislative profile. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 7, 2026.