Gerlach moved to Allentown to study at Cedar Crest College, where she got a degree in elementary education.

‘Ready to fight like hell’: Allentown Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach kicks off State House bid

Ce-Ce Gerlach moved to Allentown to study at Cedar Crest College, where she earned a degree in elementary education.

Tiburcio, Gerlach focus on housing, tax policy in Democratic primary ...

Biographical Information
COUNTY
Lehigh
OCCUPATION
Case Manager
EDUCATION
Cedar Crest College-Bachelor of Science in Education

VOTE411 Candidate Guide

Ce-Ce Gerlach has been fighting with and for working families in the Lehigh Valley for more than two decades. Ce-Ce has dedicated her life to public service—as an educator, community organizer, and elected official—always putting people first.

Ce-Ce Gerlach for PA

Ce-Ce Gerlach works as a case manager. She has also worked as an educator and community organizer.

Pennsylvania State Representative District 22 - VOTE411.org

QUALIFICATIONS
Allentown City Council-6 years, Allentown School-8 years, Community Organizer, Small Business Owner
CAMPAIGN WEBSITE
http://www.ceceforpa.com

Gerlach was elected to Allentown School Board in 2011 and served two terms. She will be about halfway through her second term on Allentown City Council when voters cast their ballots next year.

Ce-Ce served on Allentown City Council for six years, including a second term. She was elected to the Allentown School Board in 2011 and served two terms.

2026 Pennsylvania General Election 

Freeze the Rent

Stop High Rent Increases by limiting the amount that landlords can raise the rent. 

Ban Price Rigging

We must renew home repair funding to help low and moderate homeowners stay in their homes. I will fight to pass rent stabilization because stable rents mean stable communities and successful schools.

Ban Price Rigging

No more secret price tags. Protect your wallet from predatory, AI-driven price gouging.

Fund Home Repairs

I will fight to pass rent stabilization because stable rents mean stable communities and successful schools. Corporations shouldn't be allowed to use artificial intelligence to inflate our grocery prices. I will fight to ban this practice. Finally, we can fully fund our schools by making billionaires and mega corporations pay their fair share in taxes.

Fund Home Repairs

Fund and Expand funding or working and middle class homeowners through "Whole Home Repair" legislation.

Tax Billionaires

Tax Billionaires

Make billionaires pay their fair share to take the burden off the working and middle class.

Read About More Issues...

Corporations shouldn't be allowed to use artificial intelligence to inflate our grocery prices. I will fight to ban this practice. Finally, we can fully fund our schools by making billionaires and mega corporations pay their fair share in taxes.

Raise the Wage 

Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to at least $15/hour, with annual cost-of-living adjustments.

End the subminimum wage for tipped workers so every worker earns the same fair base pay.

Raise the Wage 

Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to at least $15/hour, with annual cost-of-living adjustments.

End the subminimum wage for tipped workers so every worker earns the same fair base pay.

Stand with Unions

Stand with Unions 

Strengthen collective bargaining rights for both public and private sector workers.

Enforce penalties on employers who engage in union-busting or intimidation tactics.

Hold Corporations Accountable

Hold Corporations Accountable 

​Close the Delaware Loophole so big corporations finally pay their fair share in Pennsylvania, instead of hiding profits in Delaware while working families pick up the tab.

Crack down on wage theft and misclassification that cheat workers out of pay and benefits.

Hold Corporations Accountable 

​Close the Delaware Loophole so big corporations finally pay their fair share in Pennsylvania, instead of hiding profits in Delaware while working families pick up the tab.

Crack down on wage theft and misclassification that cheat workers out of pay and benefits.

Ensure corporations that receive taxpayer subsidies or contracts provide family-sustaining jobs with fair wages and benefits.

Protect Workers ​

Pass statewide paid family and medical leave so workers don’t have to choose between a paycheck and caring for their families.

Support fair scheduling laws to prevent unpredictable hours that destabilize working families.

Supports limiting rent increases through rent stabilization.

Plans to ban corporations from using artificial intelligence to raise grocery prices.

Supports expanding Whole-Home Repairs funding for working- and middle-class homeowners.

Supports increasing taxes on billionaires and large corporations to fund public schools.

Supports raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage to at least $15 per hour with annual cost-of-living adjustments.

Supports ending the subminimum wage for tipped workers.

Supports strengthening collective bargaining rights and penalizing employers for union-busting or intimidation.

Supports closing the Delaware Loophole, which allows corporations to hide profits in Delaware.

Supports stronger enforcement against wage theft and worker misclassification.

Supports requiring corporations that receive subsidies or state contracts to provide family-sustaining jobs with fair wages and benefits.

Supports statewide paid family and medical leave.

Supports fair-scheduling laws to limit unpredictable work hours.

- Supports limiting rent increases through rent stabilization.
- Plans to ban corporations from using artificial intelligence to raise grocery prices.
- Supports expanding Whole-Home Repairs funding for working- and middle-class homeowners.
- Supports increasing taxes on billionaires and large corporations to fund public schools.
- Supports raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage to at least $15 per hour with annual cost-of-living adjustments.
- Supports ending the subminimum wage for tipped workers.
- Supports strengthening collective bargaining rights and penalizing employers for union-busting or intimidation.
- Supports closing the Delaware Loophole, which allows corporations to hide profits in Delaware.
- Supports stronger enforcement against wage theft and worker misclassification.
- Supports requiring corporations that receive subsidies or state contracts to provide family-sustaining jobs with fair wages and benefits.
- Supports statewide paid family and medical leave.
- Supports fair-scheduling laws to limit unpredictable work hours.

Economy

Health care is a human right, not a privilege. No one should have to choose between paying for medicine and paying for rent, yet too many Pennsylvanians are uninsured, underinsured, or drowning in medical debt. Our health care system should put people over profits and guarantee that everyone—no matter their income, ZIP code, or job—can get the care they need.

Our communities are stronger when people have the freedom and resources to decide if, when, and how to grow their families. I will always stand with those fighting to protect reproductive rights and ensure Pennsylvania remains a safe place for care.

Supports a healthcare system that guarantees access to needed care regardless of income, location, or employment.

Supports protecting reproductive rights and maintaining Pennsylvania as a place to obtain reproductive care.

- Supports a healthcare system that guarantees access to needed care regardless of income, location, or employment.
- Supports protecting reproductive rights and maintaining Pennsylvania as a place to obtain reproductive care.

Healthcare

Fully Fund Public Education

Apply Pennsylvania’s Fair Funding Formula to all state education dollars—not just new money—so every district gets its fair share.

Raise the state’s share of education funding

Support Teachers and Staff

Raise pay for teachers and support staff to attract and retain talent in our schools.

Respect educators’ professional judgment and protect them from political attacks or censorship.

Raise pay for teachers and support staff to attract and retain talent in our schools.

Respect educators’ professional judgment and protect them from political attacks or censorship.

Strengthen  Schools

Increase resources for schools serving high-poverty and high-need students.

Invest in smaller class sizes, safe buildings, updated technology, and after school programs.

Increase resources for schools serving high-poverty and high-need students.

Invest in smaller class sizes, safe buildings, updated technology, and after school programs.

Invest in smaller class sizes, safe buildings, updated technology, and after school programs.

Increase mental health supports, social workers, and school nurses in every building.

Reform Charter and Cyber Charter Schools

Reform Charter and Cyber Charter Schools

Require charters and cyber charters to meet the same transparency, accountability, and performance standards as public schools.

End inflated tuition payments to cyber charters, which often cost taxpayers far more than the actual cost of educating a student.

Require charters and cyber charters to meet the same transparency, accountability, and performance standards as public schools.

End inflated tuition payments to cyber charters, which often cost taxpayers far more than the actual cost of educating a student.

Diversity Equity & Inclusion

Oppose efforts to defund schools that incorporate DEI efforts.

Expand access to culturally competent teachers, school counselors, mental health supports, and restorative justice alternatives.

Supports applying Pennsylvania's Fair Funding Formula to all state education funding, not only new funding.

Supports raising pay for teachers and school support staff.

Supports protecting educators' professional judgment from political attacks or censorship.

Supports increasing resources for schools serving high-poverty and high-need students.

Supports investments in smaller classes, safe school buildings, updated technology, and after-school programs.

Supports adding mental-health supports, social workers, and school nurses in every school building.

Supports requiring charter and cyber charter schools to meet public-school transparency, accountability, and performance standards.

Supports ending inflated tuition payments to cyber charter schools.

Opposes defunding schools that incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

- Supports applying Pennsylvania's Fair Funding Formula to all state education funding, not only new funding.
- Supports raising pay for teachers and school support staff.
- Supports protecting educators' professional judgment from political attacks or censorship.
- Supports increasing resources for schools serving high-poverty and high-need students.
- Supports investments in smaller classes, safe school buildings, updated technology, and after-school programs.
- Supports adding mental-health supports, social workers, and school nurses in every school building.
- Supports requiring charter and cyber charter schools to meet public-school transparency, accountability, and performance standards.
- Supports ending inflated tuition payments to cyber charter schools.
- Opposes defunding schools that incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

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)?
We must require data centers to bring or pay for their own power generation, protect water resources, be transparent with communities, and hire local workers.

We must require data centers to bring or pay for their own power generation, protect water resources, be transparent with communities, and hire local workers. State regulation should set clear baseline protections such as energy efficiency requirements, grid impact assessments and water conservation standards.

State regulation should set clear baseline protections such as energy efficiency requirements, grid impact assessments and water conservation standards. I support requiring data centers to use 100% renewable energy, conduct independent environmental impact studies, conserve water, and enter binding community benefit agreements that include local hiring, union labor, and investments in neighborhoods.

I support requiring data centers to use 100% renewable energy, conduct independent environmental impact studies, conserve water, and enter binding community benefit agreements that include local hiring, union labor, and investments in neighborhoods. Local governments must retain the power to pass stronger ordinances, especially to protect environmental justice communities that have historically borne the burden of pollution.

Supports requiring data centers to provide or fund power generation, protect water resources, disclose information to communities, and hire local workers.

Supports state data-center standards for energy efficiency, grid-impact assessments, and water conservation.

Supports requiring data centers to use 100% renewable energy, conduct independent environmental studies, conserve water, and make community-benefit agreements.

Supports allowing local governments to adopt data-center ordinances stronger than state baseline protections.

- Supports requiring data centers to provide or fund power generation, protect water resources, disclose information to communities, and hire local workers.
- Supports state data-center standards for energy efficiency, grid-impact assessments, and water conservation.
- Supports requiring data centers to use 100% renewable energy, conduct independent environmental studies, conserve water, and make community-benefit agreements.
- Supports allowing local governments to adopt data-center ordinances stronger than state baseline protections.

Energy & the Environment

Gerlach said she wants to bring “audacious leadership” to Harrisburg.

She said she plans to pursue legislation to stabilize rents, end solitary confinement and implement inclusionary zoning across the state to add affordable housing.

Plans to pursue legislation ending solitary confinement.

- Plans to pursue legislation ending solitary confinement.

Public Safety

Democracy works best when every voter can participate freely and confidently. I support automatic and same day registration, expanded early voting, language access, mail-in voting and making election day a holiday so working people aren't forced to choose between a paycheck and their voice. We must also strengthen election security by investing in modern voting equipment and rigorous audits to protect against interference.

...making election day a holiday so working people aren't forced to choose between a paycheck and their voice. We must also strengthen election security by investing in modern voting equipment and rigorous audits to protect against interference.

I oppose voter suppression in all forms and will work to ensure that accessible, transparent and trusted-because the power in a democracy belongs to the people, not politicians and political machines. I also support campaign finance reform and publicly funded elections because big money hijacks democracy.

The people deserve transparency, accountability and process that puts community first-not politics. I support earlier public negotiations, clear deadlines and consequences for missing them including not getting paid as a State Representative. If we don't work we should not get paid.

If we don't work we should not get paid. I also support taking a multi-year budgeting approach and better revenue forecasting to prevent last minute crises. A timely budget is about efficiency and stability for families.

Supports automatic and same-day registration, expanded early voting, language access, mail-in voting, and making Election Day a holiday.

Supports investing in modern voting equipment and rigorous audits to strengthen election security.

Supports campaign-finance reform and publicly funded elections.

Supports earlier public budget negotiations, firm deadlines, and withholding state representatives' pay when deadlines are missed.

Supports multiyear budgeting and improved revenue forecasting to prevent last-minute budget crises.

- Supports automatic and same-day registration, expanded early voting, language access, mail-in voting, and making Election Day a holiday.
- Supports investing in modern voting equipment and rigorous audits to strengthen election security.
- Supports campaign-finance reform and publicly funded elections.
- Supports earlier public budget negotiations, firm deadlines, and withholding state representatives' pay when deadlines are missed.
- Supports multiyear budgeting and improved revenue forecasting to prevent last-minute budget crises.

Voting & Elections

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Ce-Ce Gerlach

Edward Krutsch

Buket Urgen

Robert E Smith Jr.

- Your state representative represents the interests of your local district in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. The State House of Representatives, along with the State Senate, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
- Your state representative can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws, including introducing tax bills. 
- State representatives and their staff respond to constituent concerns and questions through emails, phone calls, and website announcements. 
- State representatives oversee the executive branch and can vote to overrule a veto by the Governor.  
- They are elected to two-year terms and have a salary of $106,000, with a 1-3% annual increase

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives