A New Chapter for Erie

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Women took home big wins in local government this election cycle including the offices of mayor and county executives, as well as down ballot and county elections.

Christina Vogel and Daria Devlin hadn't even earned their high school diplomas when then-County Executive Judy Lynch and mayoral candidate Joyce Savocchio took the Erie County electorate by storm in 1989.

The Erie Daily Times reported it was "The year of the woman" as numerous women were elected throughout the county and commonwealth.

The wave brought transformational change to Erie County. Lynch and Savocchio, both the first women in their positions, ushered in landmark developments like the Bicentennial Tower, Blasco Memorial Library, and new industrial sites, alongside a commitment to fiscal responsibility that reshaped the county's trajectory.

It seems that 36 years later, history has repeated itself. Across the county this year, a wave of women were elected to top positions. In the words of Ed Mathews of the Erie Daily News from 1989, the election "belonged to the women." Although this moment feels familiar, it's the start of a new chapter.

"I think it became very clear even in the primary that people were ready for a change in Erie," said City of Erie Mayor-elect Daria Devlin. "I think a lot of people have hopes and dreams for this community that you know, like me, they think it can be more than what it is, and I think that they saw in my energy and my vision for the city that same change."

Devlin captured a dominating 75 percent of the vote, beating Republican Matthew Thomas. Likewise, County Executive-elect Vogel won in a landslide with 63 percent of the vote, a historic margin of over 19,000 votes compared to the past two decades' margins ranging from about 100 votes to 3,000 votes.

The high voter turnout and numerous flipped precincts – including the City of Corry, Girard Borough, Lake City Borough, McKean Borough and Township, Wesleyville Borough, Fairview Township, Harborcreek Township, and Summit Township, all of which voted for Brenton Davis in 2021 – signal not only a vote of confidence for Vogel but a vote for change in leadership.

Newcomers like Dr. Kylie Morris in Millcreek Township and Chuck Gray in the City of Corry showed that people are looking for a new perspective on the political scene, while Emily Mosco Merski will be a new face on the Erie County Court of Common Pleas bench.

"I feel really good about it being a turning point," Vogel said of the county. "I'm excited that I get to be part of what the future looks like."

Lynch called Vogel after the election and said she still had a Vogel sign in her yard and was eager to help in any way she could, and Savocchio sent flowers to congratulate the newcomers, as did past County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper, who served from 2014 to 2021. It's not only a congratulatory gesture, but it's a sort of passing of the torch.

A Mandate for Change

Not only was this election about electing women, but it was also about electing people who deliver real results.

By door-knocking and meeting people where they're at, Devlin and Vogel both voiced that authentic conversations were a key factor in their victories.

"My campaign worked really hard both in the primary and in the general election to talk to as many voters as we could, to knock on as many doors as we could, to be in as many places as we could to really have authentic conversations with voters, and I think that helped," she said.

During those conversations, she said her vision of bringing Erie back onto the national map seemed to resonate with people. Devlin is prioritizing population growth, talent attraction, and housing stability in a time when the City of Erie is hemorrhaging people.

The Pennsylvania State Data Center estimates that the City of Erie lost 2,077 people from 2020 to 2024. Devlin and Vogel both believe the next four years could change the population's trajectory.

In order to do that, though, there are some infrastructural needs that must be addressed. After campaigning on a "fiscal first" platform, Vogel said she is focused on getting the county on a stable financial footing."I've talked about the budget from the beginning, and that's going to be my focus," Vogel said. "I will get whatever budget is passed, and then I'll work within that."

In the interim, she's focused on listening and understanding what people in the county truly need, attending various municipality meetings, and identifying how she can help move people forward. "It's really trying to be a partner and not trying to lead the discussion," she said. "[It's about] understanding where everybody's at and what they need themselves to help get to the next place."

In Millcreek Township, Morris is following in Supervisor Kim Clear's footsteps, continuing work on stormwater issues as she brings a health-centric lens to the position.

A practicing family physician, Morris decided to run for office after research and numerous patients pointed to external factors impacting the well-being of Millcreek's population.

She plans to focus on stormwater infrastructure and active transportation (i.e., bikeability and walkability) while seeking grant funding to avoid further tax increases.

In the City of Corry, Chuck Gray is well-versed in grant-funded projects. As the director of Impact Corry, a nonprofit for the revitalization of the city, Gray joins Corry City Council with a community planning background. In fact, grant funding is what drove her to run for office.

"I think the people have opted for representation that is open to progress and change and collaboration, and that's the difference that I see in this choice that the voters have made," Gray said of this election cycle.

She recognizes that a shrinking tax base is hurting municipalities like Corry: "I think the city has done incredible work with what they have to work with; I think they have been creative, and I think they have found ways to keep our city moving. I am fortunate that I am a strong fundraiser. I have the relationships and the abilities to do that, so how I'm seeing it is together as a community, we make the plan that decides and says, 'OK whether it's the sewer overhaul or the streets, we decide together what the priorities are, what has to come first,' and then I'm going to very intentionally seek funding for those because we don't have the tax base to support these projects."

Democratic Mayor-elect Daria Devlin won the race for Erie mayor handily over Republican candidate Matthew Thomas. Erie will soon be run by women for the first time since 1989, when Mayor Joyce Savacchio and County Executive Judy Lynch were in their respective positions. (Contributed)

A Different Approach to Leadership

With a career in public defense and advocacy, Mosco Merski has learned one thing is important when taking a seat on the bench in the courtroom: empathy.

"The role of a judge is to help someone move forward with their future," she said. "My position in the courtroom needs to be one of not only listening and understanding what is bringing these families into my courtroom but also helping them understand that I am part of the process that's going to help their lives get better or move forward in some regard."

In her work, she said she's learned that making judgments based on how she believes the world ought to be isn't realistic and doesn't take into account the realities that many residents face. She has been assigned to family court, and having a background in family law, she said there's not a huge learning curve for her, so she can focus on rebuilding trust within the legal system.

Many of the cases in family court deal with divorce, family separation, substance use, housing instability, and incarceration. Although the role of a judge is limited in its abilities due to ethics and maintaining impartiality, it's still an authority figure. Knowing that she'll likely see many children, Mosco Merski said she wants to be the kind of judge that people send their high school diplomas or GEDs to, their cheerleader.

"Your success is my success," she said. "I think that when people see you and can trust that you are going to do that, it makes them feel as though the system is there to work for them rather than work against them."

The other women share that same kind of community-centric mindset. Already, Vogel has begun surveying departmental needs, Gray plans to tour the Public Works and Municipal Authority facilities to gain a better understanding of how she can help, and Devlin has begun collaborating with other elected officials.

"I think that as women we do lead differently, and I think it's fine to say that," Devlin remarked. "I don't want to say it's better or worse, but we definitely lead differently."

She and Vogel have both announced transition teams that include people from various sectors and party lines. "I think that's the thing about women – we are collaborators," Devlin said. "I think ultimately, we know we can't do it alone, and we've learned that over the years, and I just think that's a smart way to lead."

Vogel said it's important for her to put together a team that includes people from all walks of life and across the political spectrum so it's representative of the entire county. "I really tried to be thoughtful as to who was going to be on the transition team and where each department has someone that can kind of, from the outside, take an honest look at it and give me real honest feedback," she said.

Morris mentioned that when municipalities in the county don't work together, it's noticeable. In fact, she said that just taking a drive in the winter, it's easy to tell when entering a new municipality because the road conditions change drastically. She said that if people can work together and learn from those who are facing similar issues, there could be a more uniform response across the county, moving them forward.

Excellence and Representation

"Yes, we are a group of women – dynamic women – who have done great things and are going to do great things moving forward, but more importantly, we were the right people for the job," Mosco Merski said.

This year's election brought not only a wave of women into leadership, but a wave of diverse voices. Christine Rush was elected as a magisterial district judge, becoming the first Black judge in Erie County's history. Aubrey Hayes won her race for clerk of records, Brooke Sanfilippo became Erie City Controller, and Jasmine Flores and Marilyn Pol won their races for Erie City Council.

The breadth of women elected reflects a gradual shift, locally and nationally. "I think for decades now there's been a push to have women take office," Gray said. "Nationwide, I think that also women are feeling more empowered. They are more engaged, they are leaders in their community, and I feel that in 20 years from now, people won't even think twice about that."

Gray's right: women now make up just over 50 percent of Pennsylvania's and Erie County's population, according to the Department of Labor and Industry. Having women in leadership isn't exceptional – it's representative.

For the newly elected officials, the significance extends beyond their own tenure. They're keenly aware that young people are watching.

A mother of three sons, Devlin hopes to be a role model not only for young girls but for boys. She wants them to see leadership that looks different, that prioritizes collaboration and community – and to understand that women belong in these roles just as much as men do. Looking back at Lynch and Savocchio, she's not reminded of the barriers they shattered as women but as leaders who delivered results in Erie County.

"I think we always have to remember that we stand on the shoulders of those who come before us, and there are lessons to be learned both good and bad from all of the leaders," she said. "But I think it's up to us at this moment now to chart our own path."

Political newcomer Christina Vogel succeeded in a landslide victory against incumbent Brenton Davis for Erie County Executive. She will be sworn in alongside a number of women candidates including Mayor Daria Devlin, Dr. Kylie Morris in Millcreek Township, Chuck Gray in the City of Corry, and Judge Emily Mosco Merski. (Contributed)

Charting a New Path

That path forward is already taking shape. Before even taking office, these leaders have begun the work of collaboration, but the weight of expectation sits heavily on their shoulders.

"I do really believe that this is a really exciting moment for Erie, and I'll tell you I feel the weight of that," Devlin said. "I feel the expectation of our community, and I am quite sure that our other recently elected officials do as well, and I think we have a real obligation right now to deliver and to live up to these expectations. I feel that deeply, and I'm going to be working very hard to do that."

The next four years will test whether their collaborative leadership style can deliver the results Erie County voters are expecting. The newly elected officials take office in January, inheriting both the county's challenges and its potential. History may be repeating itself – but whether it evolves in the same transformative direction as 1989 depends on what happens next.

Chloe Forbes is a local journalist. Reach her at chloeforbes14@gmail.com