🗳️ Pittsburgh’s voting guide

3 Falls at 3 Arenas This Year

A Pens fan suffered life-threatening injuries after falling from the upper deck at PPG Paints Arena on Monday, and a worker is in critical condition after falling 50 feet from the scoreboard at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday. In April, a Pirates fan fell 20 feet over the Clemente wall at PNC Park. [The Athletic]

Parkway East Among Riskiest Roads

The outbound section from Exit 74 to Beechwood Boulevard is the fifth most dangerous road in the U.S., according to Allstate. Here are the riskiest and safest times to drive there. [TribLive]

• PennDOT is working on improvements to the Squirrel Hill Interchange. [PA]
• Pittsburgh’s getting a lot of national attention lately (for better or worse). Hear about our various recent claims to fame. [🎧 City Cast Pittsburgh]

Big Utility Companies Merge

Two large local water utilities, American Water and Essential Utilities, are merging under the American Water name, pending federal review. Essential acquired Pittsburgh-based Peoples Natural Gas in March 2020 for $4.275 billion. [Business Times / TribLive]

Springdale Rallies Against Data Center

Residents are worried about an AI data center proposed for the old Cheswick Generating Station site. Some are concerned about noise, water usage, power grid strain, and impacts on quality of life. The borough will hear testimony in November before voting. [KDKA]

• PA lawmakers are considering how to regulate data centers. [Allegheny Front]
• Learn more about big AI investment promises for Pittsburgh and the role of data centers. [🎧 City Cast Pittsburgh]

Ready to do your civic duty Nov. 4? Below is a breakdown of your ballot ⬇️

🏙️ Pittsburgh Mayor

Elected every four years, our city mayor serves as chief executive, oversees day-to-day operations, represents the city, proposes budgets, signs legislation, and appoints department leaders.

What’s at stake? City Controller Rachael Heisler says Pittsburgh’s finances don’t make sense — the city’s expenditures in 2025 vastly exceed our ability to pay, tax revenue is down, overtime is up, and the proposed 2026 budget looks just as “sloppy.” The next mayor may also decide important housing policy and will represent us during major events like the NFL Draft.

🎧 Listen to our interviews with the candidates:

• Democrat Corey O'Connor is the current Allegheny County Controller. He served on City Council for 11 years — where he championed paid sick leave and gun control — and is the son of a former mayor, the late Bob O’Connor, who died in office. He says he wants to make it easier to build homes and grow small businesses and would like to expand youth and senior programming.
• Republican Tony Moreno is a retired police detective who served in Pittsburgh for over 20 years. He’d like to cut taxes, reduce regulation, and offer more mental health supports for public safety. This is his second time seeking office. Moreno is running without support from the Pittsburgh and Allegheny County GOP committees. If Moreno prevails, he’d be our first Republican mayor in a century.

🌳 Allegheny County Council

Allegheny County councilors serve four-year terms. They work with County Executive Sara Innamorato to create, amend, and approve county ordinances, as well as appoint board positions and approve budgets and tax increases. There are 15 seats — 13 by district and two at-large; eight are up for grabs. While many races are pitting incumbents against challengers, fresh faces are guaranteed in Districts 1, 3, and 9.

What’s at stake? There’s been a lot of debate about pursuing a countywide property reassessment, which would make your property taxes better reflect the current state of your home. For many of us, it would also mean our bills go up.

The county is also in a precarious financial position right now. Council voted recently to freeze spending and hiring as the county continues borrowing from itself to cover bills typically paid by the state and federal governments — neither of which has passed a budget. Find your Council district here.

⚖️ Supreme Court

Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court is the highest court in the state. The positions are elected in 10-year increments, and once on the bench, judges can run for retention — similar to re-election. Three of seven justices are up for a retention vote. State Supreme Court judges have made influential rulings about gerrymandering, education funding, health care, and guns.

What's at stake? This election could determine whether Democrats keep their majority, and both parties are pouring money into this race. Democrats say Pennsylvanians' right to abortion access hinges on voting “yes;” Republicans say the current justices are “too radical.” All three judges have been recommended for another term by the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

🎧 Hear why judicial retention could be the most important question on your ballot.