Pittsburgh has a lot to consider this election season, but all eyes, both locally and nationally, are on the hotly contested mayoral race between incumbent Ed Gainey and Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor, who have traded jabs over housing policy, fundraising, and differing takes on the city’s future.
Gainey has positioned himself as a progressive, often campaigning through surrogates organizing for LGBTQ, incarcerated, and housing and transit justice communities. O’Connor has also pitched himself as a progressive while aligning himself with YIMBY groups, local businesses, developers, and more moderate voters. O’Connor narrowly received the county endorsement, but both candidates tout a long list of endorsements from unions, community groups, area politicians, and different slices of Allegheny County’s heavily Democratic electorate.
Pittsburgh Republicans face a different binary choice between Tony Moreno, a controversial Democrat-turned-Republican former police officer, and Lawrenceville business owner Thomas West. Because of Pennsylvania’s closed primary system, registered Independents, Libertarians, and other third-party voters in the city will have limited choices beyond three ballot questions and candidates for the Pittsburgh Public Schools board.
Democratic voters elsewhere in Allegheny County will have local school board and municipal races as well as a range of options for Allegheny County Council, where two districted incumbents aren’t running for re-election (no Republican race for County Council, including the at-large seat, is contested this time around). In District 1, there’s a two-way contest for the seat being vacated by Jack Betkowski, and, in District 9, there’s a three-way race to succeed Bob Macey.
Voters will also have a long list of judicial candidates to pick from this primary cycle for the Allegheny Court of Common Pleas, where 22 candidates filed to run for eight vacancies.
Despite lingering exhaustion from the 2024 cycle, the May 20 primary election and other contests this year will have a direct impact when it comes to everything from housing to criminal justice in Pittsburgh and the surrounding region. Pittsburgh City Paper hopes to make the process easier with our comprehensive 2025 Election Issue.
Make sure to register by May 5 to make your voice heard.
Colin Williams
Pittsburgh City Paper News Editor
- Mayor of Pittsburgh
- County Council District 1
- County Council District 9
- Pittsburgh Public Schools District 1
- Pittsburgh Public Schools District 3
- Pittsburgh Public Schools District 7
- Pittsburgh Public Schools District 9
- Voters are spoiled for choice in the upcoming Court of Common Pleas primary
- After setbacks, Neatrour says the community has rallied behind her write-in bid for City Council
- Of three ballot questions this primary, two are aimed at efforts to divest from Israel
This article appears in Apr 30 – May 6, 2025 and Election Guide (Early 2025).
