Area voters will go to the polls Tuesday with the chance to cast ballots for candidates running for state Senate and House.
State Sen. E. Eugene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township, is facing a challenge from Democrat Luana Cleveland for his 23rd Senate seat.
State Rep. Rick Mirabito, D-Williamsport, is being opposed by Republican challenger Harry Rogers for 83rd state House.
Candidates have varied positions on the issues and throughout the campaign have made their ideas known about some of them.
Yaw
Yaw, seeking re-election for the first time, voted on a number of pieces of legislation during the past year.
Among them were the Castle Doctrine, which makes it lawful for persons to defend themselves by lethal force if necessary rather than retreat when confronted in their homes or vehicles by a perpetrator.
He also voted for the voter ID law, which later was overturned by a judge, requiring people to show photo identification at polls.
Yaw, a lawyer and former Lycoming County solicitor, voted in favor of the gas impact bill as well as this year's state budget.
The lawmaker was a prime sponsor of legislation requiring the Department of Environmental Protection to publicly report production information for all gas wells in the state.
He co-sponsored a package of bills providing relief to flood victims of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.
Cleveland
Cleveland has made it known she does not support many of the cuts made in the state budget in the past couple of years, particularly to education and human services.
She has called for a severance tax on natural gas and more regulation on gas pipelines.
Cleveland said she is concerned about quality of life issues surrounding the Marcellus Shale industry.
She also is concerned about funding for roads and bridges.
She has spoken out against over-turning the federal Affordable Care Act and reducing the size of the state Legislature.
Cleveland is opposed to the Voter ID law.
Cleveland holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Penn State University.
She has worked in finance, market research, and fine arts management.
Mirabito
Mirabito, seeking his third term in office, has repeatedly called for a severance tax on natural gas.
The lawmaker voted against the impact fee, claiming revenues coming back to municipalities were far from sufficient.
He also voted against this year's state budget.
Mirabito, owner of Mirabito Properties, has sought transparency in government through his sponsorship of legislation for creation of a website that puts all state spending online.
He voted in favor of the Castle Doctrine and against the voter ID law.
He has spoken out against privatization of the state's liquor stores.
He worked to bring two Keystone Opportunity Zone designations in the 83rd District, supported the Williamsport Regional Medical Center expansion project as well as retention of the Penn Street Armory in the city.
Rogers
Rogers, a former Lycoming County Republican chairman, has vowed to fight hard for economic development in the area if elected.
He has called for keeping taxes low and making government smaller.
Rogers, employed as an intensive supervised bail and release coordinator with Lycoming County Prison, called for rejection of the federal Affordable Care Act, questioning its Constitutionality.
He favors shrinking the size of the state Legislature,
He supports privatizing the state's liquor stores while allowing the state to maintain enforcement activities.
