Party: Democratic
Place of residence: New Brighton Borough, Beaver County
Education: A graduate of Blackhawk Public High School, Young said he has attended, but not earned degrees at, Denison University, Penn State University, and the University of Pittsburgh.

Pa. State House 14th District election: Kozak v. Young | 90.5 WESA

Party: Democratic
Place of residence: New Brighton Borough, Beaver County
Education: A graduate of Blackhawk Public High School, Young said he has attended, but not earned degrees at, Denison University, Penn State University, and the University of Pittsburgh.
Current occupation: Aquatics coordinator at the Thelma Lovette YMCA, YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh

Jake Young graduated from Blackhawk Public High School. He has attended Denison University, Penn State University, and the University of Pittsburgh without earning degrees from them. He lives in New Brighton Borough, Beaver County.

Education: A graduate of Blackhawk Public High School, Young said he has attended, but not earned degrees at, Denison University, Penn State University, and the University of Pittsburgh.
Current occupation: Aquatics coordinator at the Thelma Lovette YMCA, YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh
Related experience: Young serves as a member of the Beaver County Democratic Committee and was a former leader in a now-defunct Pittsburgh-area LGBT group. His resume also includes work as member and development director for the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce.

Democrat Jake Young successfully won his write-in campaign with 644 votes in the May primary. He works at the Thelma Lovette YMCA in the Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh and is a former steelworker. He says the experience of caring for both of his parents as they battled Alzheimer’s disease shaped how he views healthcare and the challenges of caring for aging people.

Related experience: Young serves as a member of the Beaver County Democratic Committee and was a former leader in a now-defunct Pittsburgh-area LGBT group. His resume also includes work as member and development director for the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce.

Jake Young currently works as an aquatics coordinator at Thelma Lovette YMCA, part of YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh. He previously worked as a steelworker and as a member and development director for the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce.

2026 Pennsylvania General Election 

What do you see as the most pressing issues facing residents of your district, and how would you address them?
It’s the economy, folks! People should be able to afford a home, healthcare and everyday necessities on what they earn. I support raising the minimum wage, strengthening workers’ bargaining rights, and investing in good-paying jobs and apprenticeships. I would pursue property-tax relief with reliable replacement funding for public schools, stronger consumer protections, and affordable healthcare for everyone.

Pennsylvania State Representative District 14 | VOTE411

What is the biggest LOCAL concern your district has that hasn't been met by action in Harrisburg, and what would you do about it if elected?
Property taxes. Homeowners, particularly seniors on fixed incomes, should not have to worry about being taxed out of homes they spent a lifetime paying for. Pennsylvania relies too heavily on local property taxes to fund public education, creating inequities among school districts and burdening homeowners.
I support fundamentally restructuring how Pennsylvania funds public schools, with the Commonwealth assuming a greater share of the cost and replacing school property taxes with broader, fairer and more reliable state revenue. My goal is eliminating the school property-tax burden on homeowners, not simply providing temporary relief.

There have been a number of legislative proposals that would increase revenue for the state, including marijuana legalization, a tax on digital advertisements, and the legalization/taxation of “skill games.” Which, if any, of these do you favor, and why?
I support legalizing and regulating adult-use marijuana and creating a legal, regulated framework for skill games. Prohibition or regulatory ambiguity does not make these activities disappear; it pushes economic activity underground or leaves it inadequately regulated. A legal framework can establish consumer protections while producing revenue for public priorities and property-tax relief.

Supports raising the minimum wage, strengthening workers’ bargaining rights, and investing in good-paying jobs and apprenticeships.

Supports replacing school property taxes with broader, fairer, and more reliable state revenue while increasing the Commonwealth’s share of public-school costs.

Supports legalizing and regulating adult-use marijuana and establishing a regulated framework for skill games.

- Supports raising the minimum wage, strengthening workers’ bargaining rights, and investing in good-paying jobs and apprenticeships.
- Supports replacing school property taxes with broader, fairer, and more reliable state revenue while increasing the Commonwealth’s share of public-school costs.
- Supports legalizing and regulating adult-use marijuana and establishing a regulated framework for skill games.

Economy

With a unified Democratic government, my priority would be strengthening working families’ economic security through property tax reform, consumer protections, good-paying jobs and greater state responsibility for public school funding. I also believe healthcare should be universally available and Pennsylvania should use every tool available to expand affordable coverage and move us toward universal healthcare. Economic security means being able to afford your home, education and healthcare.

What do you see as the most pressing issues facing residents of your district, and how would you address them?
It’s the economy, folks! People should be able to afford a home, healthcare and everyday necessities on what they earn. I support raising the minimum wage, strengthening workers’ bargaining rights, and investing in good-paying jobs and apprenticeships. I would pursue property-tax relief with reliable replacement funding for public schools, stronger consumer protections, and affordable healthcare for everyone. Having cared for both parents with Alzheimer’s, I know families need more support for caregiving and long-term care.

Supports expanding affordable health coverage and moving Pennsylvania toward universal healthcare.

Believes families need more support for caregiving and long-term care.

- Supports expanding affordable health coverage and moving Pennsylvania toward universal healthcare.
- Believes families need more support for caregiving and long-term care.

Healthcare

Supporters of private schools have urged the state to expand a tax break that allows businesses to deduct contributions they make to those schools. Critics say private schools should provide more details about tuition costs and the family income of students that benefit from such support. Where do you fall on these questions, and on how the state should fund grade-school education generally?
Public education is a fundamental responsibility of the Commonwealth and must come first. I would prioritize adequate and equitable funding so a child’s educational opportunities are not determined by the property wealth of the community where that child lives. Where Pennsylvania provides tax benefits supporting private-school scholarships, taxpayers deserve meaningful transparency about where that money goes, who benefits and how it is used.

Public education is a fundamental responsibility of the Commonwealth and must come first. I would prioritize adequate and equitable funding so a child’s educational opportunities are not determined by the property wealth of the community where that child lives. Where Pennsylvania provides tax benefits supporting private-school scholarships, taxpayers deserve meaningful transparency about where that money goes, who benefits and how it is used.
I would not expand such programs at the expense of adequately funding public schools. Pennsylvania should assume greater responsibility for education funding while reducing our excessive dependence on local property taxes.

Prioritizes adequate and equitable public-school funding so educational opportunities do not depend on local property wealth.

Opposes expanding private-school scholarship tax-benefit programs at the expense of adequately funding public schools.

- Prioritizes adequate and equitable public-school funding so educational opportunities do not depend on local property wealth.
- Opposes expanding private-school scholarship tax-benefit programs at the expense of adequately funding public schools.

Education

Should the state legislature enact laws concerning the impacts on water, energy, or land use from the development and operation of data centers? Would state regulation of data center development and operation interfere with the authority of municipalities to establish ordinances under the MPC (Municipal Planning Code)?
Yes. Data centers should pay their own infrastructure costs, protect our water and electric grid, and not shift costs to households. I support enforceable limits on noise and pollution, public disclosure of water and energy demands, and no groundwater withdrawals for cooling. We should prioritize suitable dormant industrial sites over farmland and residential areas.

Data centers should pay their own infrastructure costs, protect our water and electric grid, and not shift costs to households. I support enforceable limits on noise and pollution, public disclosure of water and energy demands, and no groundwater withdrawals for cooling. We should prioritize suitable dormant industrial sites over farmland and residential areas. State law should establish minimum safeguards while explicitly preserving municipal zoning authority under the MPC and allowing stronger local protections. Whether state regulation interferes with local authority depends on how it is written. I would oppose blanket preemption that strips communities of a meaningful say.

Data centers must not raise electric rates for families, drain local water resources or overwhelm communities. I support codifying Pennsylvania’s GRID requirements and strengthening them where necessary. Developers should pay the full cost of the electricity and infrastructure they require, disclose energy and water consumption, and provide meaningful community benefits. Local communities must have a voice before projects are approved.
We should prioritize dormant industrial sites with existing infrastructure for new development. With federal carbon-emission standards being rolled back, Pennsylvania must aggressively develop sustainable, non-emitting energy sources to meet growing electricity demand without sacrificing our environment or increasing dependence on fossil fuels.

Supports data-center limits on noise and pollution, disclosure of water and energy use, and prohibiting groundwater withdrawals for cooling.

Opposes state rules that preempt municipal zoning authority over data centers and supports allowing stronger local protections.

Advocates for developing sustainable, non-emitting energy sources to meet electricity demand without increasing dependence on fossil fuels.

- Supports data-center limits on noise and pollution, disclosure of water and energy use, and prohibiting groundwater withdrawals for cooling.
- Opposes state rules that preempt municipal zoning authority over data centers and supports allowing stronger local protections.
- Advocates for developing sustainable, non-emitting energy sources to meet electricity demand without increasing dependence on fossil fuels.

Energy & the Environment

As of October 16, 2026, Jake Young did not have a website or any information online.

Public Safety

What changes, if any, would you support to enable better access, ensure security, and support the processes of our elections?
Voting should be accessible, secure and straightforward for every eligible citizen. I support protecting mail-in voting, accessible polling places, and adequate funding and training for county election offices. I would support allowing counties to prepare mail ballots before Election Day, with strict safeguards against releasing results early.

Voting should be accessible, secure and straightforward for every eligible citizen. I support protecting mail-in voting, accessible polling places, and adequate funding and training for county election offices. I would support allowing counties to prepare mail ballots before Election Day, with strict safeguards against releasing results early. Voters should receive timely notice and a fair opportunity to correct eligible paperwork errors. Paper records, secure equipment, rigorous audits and transparent procedures protect public confidence.

I would support allowing counties to prepare mail ballots before Election Day, with strict safeguards against releasing results early. Voters should receive timely notice and a fair opportunity to correct eligible paperwork errors. Paper records, secure equipment, rigorous audits and transparent procedures protect public confidence. We should protect election workers from threats and let verified results, not partisan pressure, determine the outcome.

Voters should receive timely notice and a fair opportunity to correct eligible paperwork errors. Paper records, secure equipment, rigorous audits and transparent procedures protect public confidence. We should protect election workers from threats and let verified results, not partisan pressure, determine the outcome.

Supports mail-in voting, accessible polling places, and funding and training for county election offices.

Supports allowing counties to prepare mail ballots before Election Day with safeguards against early release of results.

Supports giving voters timely notice and a fair opportunity to correct eligible paperwork errors.

Supports paper records, secure equipment, rigorous audits, transparent procedures, and protecting election workers from threats.

- Supports mail-in voting, accessible polling places, and funding and training for county election offices.
- Supports allowing counties to prepare mail ballots before Election Day with safeguards against early release of results.
- Supports giving voters timely notice and a fair opportunity to correct eligible paperwork errors.
- Supports paper records, secure equipment, rigorous audits, transparent procedures, and protecting election workers from threats.

Voting & Elections

Jake Young

As of October 16, 2026, Jake Young’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Edward Krutsch

Buket Urgen

Roman Kozak

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