The campaign biography says: “Kirsten McTernan is a wife, a mother of four sons, an educator, author, and community servant who has spent more than 14 years investing in the families and future of this district.”

Kirsten McTernan for State Representative – State House District 82

Kirsten McTernan is a mother of four sons.

Kirsten McTernan is an educator and author.

In an April 21, 2025 guide to State College school-board candidates, WPSU wrote: “If elected, McTernan said her top issues are mental health, safety, and educational standards.” This establishes that she sought a State College school-board seat in 2025; the article did not provide an election result.

Pa. primary election 2025: A complete guide to the candidates for State College school board | WPSU

Kirsten was a candidate for State College school board in 2025.

2026 Pennsylvania General Election 

The campaign platform lists: “Grow Our Economy. Decrease crippling regulations on small businesses, create opportunities, and encourage job growth.”

Advocates reducing regulations on small businesses to encourage job growth.

- Advocates reducing regulations on small businesses to encourage job growth.

Economy

The campaign platform lists: “Support Health Freedom. This requires informed consent and parental rights.”

Supports “health freedom,” including informed consent and parental rights.

- Supports “health freedom,” including informed consent and parental rights.

Healthcare

In her 2025 State College school-board campaign, McTernan told Spotlight PA: “I think we need to be open to the idea that perhaps pushing ideological beliefs on children is actually causing undue stress and mental health issues.” She continued: “Also more and more studies are being done that show that social media is a major factor in causing bullying, anxiety, and depression. Parents need to be informed of this, and teachers should have the right to not allow cell phone use during instruction time.”

WPSU reported that McTernan said the district's per-student education cost was high compared with the national average and especially compared with the average homeschooled student, and “She said there must be fiscal responsibility and accountability in district spending.”

The campaign platform lists: “Support Responsible Education. Support teachers, uphold parental rights, and expand educational choice.”

Supports informing parents about social media's effects and allowing teachers to prohibit cell phone use during instruction.

Calls for fiscal responsibility and accountability in school-district spending.

Supports teachers, parental rights, and expanded educational choice.

- Supports informing parents about social media's effects and allowing teachers to prohibit cell phone use during instruction.
- Calls for fiscal responsibility and accountability in school-district spending.
- Supports teachers, parental rights, and expanded educational choice.

Education

The campaign platform states: “End Irresponsible Data Center Development. Developers & operators should bring their own power; Fund grid updates; No NDAs with local municipalities. Provide time to study the issues to separate fact from fiction around the claims and narratives.”

The campaign platform lists: “Protect Natural Resources. Preserve agriculture, farm land, and assure responsible land use.”

Proposes requiring data-center developers and operators to supply their own power and fund grid updates, while prohibiting nondisclosure agreements with local municipalities.

Supports preserving agriculture and farmland and ensuring responsible land use.

- Proposes requiring data-center developers and operators to supply their own power and fund grid updates, while prohibiting nondisclosure agreements with local municipalities.
- Supports preserving agriculture and farmland and ensuring responsible land use.

Energy & the Environment

The campaign platform lists a privacy plank stating: “Protection of Privacy. End the use of surveillance cameras (Flock, etc). Respect the 4th Amendment.”

The campaign platform lists: “Safe & Peaceful Communities. Support law enforcement, first responders, and safe neighborhoods.”

Calls for ending the use of surveillance cameras, including Flock cameras, to protect Fourth Amendment privacy rights.

Supports law enforcement and first responders.

- Calls for ending the use of surveillance cameras, including Flock cameras, to protect Fourth Amendment privacy rights.
- Supports law enforcement and first responders.

Public Safety

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

Voting & Elections

Kirsten McTernan

- Supports teachers, parental rights, and expanded educational choice.

Edward Krutsch

Buket Urgen

Paul Takac

- 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