Jess Branas: Champion for Social Justice and Equality

Jess is a Lancaster native, Manheim Township class of ‘95 graduate, who, over the years, has worn many different hats, including former educator, radio show host, and podcaster.

About

Most recently, she served as Councilwoman for Upper Darby Township, representing the 2nd District. She earned a B.A. in Spanish and a minor in Latin American Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, and an M.A. in Spanish from Millersville University.

Jess lives in East Lampeter Township with her dog, Nacho.

Jess Branas is a Lancaster native. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a minor in Latin American Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Master of Arts in Spanish from Millersville University. She lives in East Lampeter Township.

Biographical Information
COUNTY
Lancaster
OCCUPATION
Consultant and Educator
EDUCATION
B.A. in Spanish Linguistics and Literature from University of Pittsburgh & M.A. in Spanish from Millersville
QUALIFICATIONS
15 years as a former educator that recently stepped back into the classroom, Served PA-163 first in Constituent Services under Rep. Zabel, then as District Director for Rep. Boyd, former elected official serving Upper Darby Twp. Council representing the 2nd. District

Pennsylvania State Representative District 97 — VOTE411 Voter Guide

Jess currently works as a consultant and educator. She previously worked in constituent services for PA-163 and as a district director for Representative Boyd.

Pennsylvania State Representative District 97 — VOTE411 Voter Guide. Additional information available on VOTE411.org.

Branas is trailblazing by becoming the first openly gay member to be elected to Upper Darby Township Council in 2023, flipping the seat from red to blue in 75 years.

President Tunis announced earlier today that he received Councilor Jess Branas’ resignation and requested that the agenda be amended so the Council could formally accept it.

Motion by MW, seconded by MB
Motion to officially accept 2nd District Councilwoman Jess Branas’ resignation effective 10/16/2025.
Councilor JB reflected on the honor of serving with fellow Council members, noting it was a difficult decision to step down. Council members and Mayor Brown expressed appreciation for her service, shared positive remarks, extended best wishes for her future endeavours, and presented her with a plaque.
All in favor
Motion passes

Council Meeting Minutes Upper Darby Township (October 15, 2025 7:00 pm)

Jess was elected to the Upper Darby Township Council representing the 2nd District in 2023. She resigned from the council effective October 16, 2025.

2026 Pennsylvania General Election 

What do you see as the most pressing issues facing residents of your district, and how would you address them?
In the 97th, I have had numerous conversations about affordability. First, when it comes to affordable housing, we must increase funding for housing, defend tenants' rights, and support current legislation that raises the eviction ceiling. We also need to tackle the rising costs of utilities. Representing the people of PA means being a representative that favors their constituents over company profits, or corporate donor wishes. With that, I will fight to erase the "junk fees" seen as flat customer charges on utility bills. These fees are above and beyond customer usage and tax that serve no purpose for the resident.

Let’s be honest: the price of everything is up, but our paychecks have been left behind. Too many hardworking people are putting in full-time hours and still can’t keep up with groceries, gas, and getting the kids what they need. That’s why raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage isn’t just a line on a resume. It’s the first real step toward making our communities affordable again. It’s about respect for your work, and making sure that work actually pays the bills.

Issues

What are your thoughts on the state budget process? What changes, if any, would you support so that the budget is enacted in a timely manner?
One of the main tasks of the General Assembly is to pass the state budget. Unfortunately, over the years, and while I worked for the House, the budget has been delayed many times to a point where it affected county services, non-profits, transportation, public schools, and more. This is simply unacceptable. Pennsylvanians deserve that we do the job that they elected us to do, without using the budget appropriations as political scorecards. I am in support of beginning the process earlier in the year, enacting legislation that, if at an impasse close to the June 30th deadline, all legislators should remain in Harrisburg, working to make the deadline. If it's delayed, I support freezing legislators' pay until they finish their job.

Calls for increased housing funding, tenant protections, and legislation raising the eviction ceiling.

Advocates for raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to improve affordability for working residents.

Plans to eliminate flat utility customer charges she calls “junk fees.”

Supports beginning the state budget process earlier and requiring legislators to remain in Harrisburg near the June 30 deadline.

Supports freezing legislators’ pay when the state budget is delayed.

- Calls for increased housing funding, tenant protections, and legislation raising the eviction ceiling.
- Advocates for raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to improve affordability for working residents.
- Plans to eliminate flat utility customer charges she calls “junk fees.”
- Supports beginning the state budget process earlier and requiring legislators to remain in Harrisburg near the June 30 deadline.
- Supports freezing legislators’ pay when the state budget is delayed.

Economy

Branas is trailblazing by becoming the first openly gay member to be elected to Upper Darby Township Council in 2023, flipping the seat from red to blue in 75 years.

In September 2024, she made history again by introducing and unanimously passing legislation to make the largest township of PA a safe haven for LGBTQIA+ Healthcare.

Once in Harrisburg, I will:

Work across the aisle to empower the PA Insurance Department to negotiate and push back on significant cumulative premium increases.
Expand affordable healthcare for all, including small businesses under 50 full-time employees, through incentives and tax credits.
Tackle the staffing shortage with hospitals through tuition reimbursement for years of service.
Strengthen PA’s audit and enforcement of corporate fraud against Medicare and Medicaid, reinvesting the savings to expand access and lower costs.
Require health insurance to cover pre-existing conditions.
Require insurers to be transparent when AI is making coverage denial decisions.
Expand solutions for seniors to remain in their homes and improve nursing facility care and access.

Said she introduced Upper Darby legislation establishing a safe haven for LGBTQIA+ healthcare that passed unanimously.

Plans to empower the Pennsylvania Insurance Department to negotiate and challenge substantial cumulative premium increases.

Plans to expand affordable healthcare through incentives and tax credits, including for small businesses with fewer than 50 full-time employees.

Plans to address hospital staffing shortages through tuition reimbursement tied to years of service.

Plans to strengthen audits and enforcement against corporate fraud involving Medicare and Medicaid, using savings to expand access and lower costs.

Plans to require health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Plans to require insurers to disclose when artificial intelligence makes coverage-denial decisions.

Plans to expand services helping seniors remain at home and improve nursing-facility care and access.

- Said she introduced Upper Darby legislation establishing a safe haven for LGBTQIA+ healthcare that passed unanimously.
- Plans to empower the Pennsylvania Insurance Department to negotiate and challenge substantial cumulative premium increases.
- Plans to expand affordable healthcare through incentives and tax credits, including for small businesses with fewer than 50 full-time employees.
- Plans to address hospital staffing shortages through tuition reimbursement tied to years of service.
- Plans to strengthen audits and enforcement against corporate fraud involving Medicare and Medicaid, using savings to expand access and lower costs.
- Plans to require health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions.
- Plans to require insurers to disclose when artificial intelligence makes coverage-denial decisions.
- Plans to expand services helping seniors remain at home and improve nursing-facility care and access.

Healthcare

Our public schools are the heart of our towns, and every kid in every zip code deserves a fair shot. Right now, whether a student gets the resources they need too often depends on their family’s wealth and their hometown’s budget. I believe in strong, fully-funded public schools where teachers are supported, classrooms are stocked, and our kids are prepared to take on the future. Investing in our schools isn’t an expense, it’s the best investment we can make in Pennsylvania.

Supports fully funding public schools and providing resources to teachers and classrooms.

- Supports fully funding public schools and providing resources to teachers and classrooms.

Education

What I Will Do

Technology can be a great enabler, but businesses should add to our communities, not fleece them. When elected, I will:

Work across the aisle and with townships to attract businesses that help communities flourish.
Bring more power choices to the grid by fast-tracking renewables while continuing natural gas, hydro, and PA’s other sources.
Pass legislation requiring Big Tech to pay for new power and environmental impacts so PA residents don’t foot the bill and to protect our farmland.
Pass commonsense laws that protect our kids from harmful AI-generated content while enabling real efficiencies.

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)?
First and foremost, I am opposed to data centers coming into our commonwealth. But they are here. Yes. It's necessary for the state legislature to enact laws to protect us and our resources from the rampant growth of data centers. Here in the 97th, people are concerned about the possibility of rising energy costs as well as how the massive amount of water needed to cool these facilities will leave us and our farms with a lack of water supply. As we fight to protect our environment, our health, and our families with the rise in technology, it's also imperative that we create regulations that ensure usage reporting and expenditures to provide transparency of operations of these facilities to the public.

This isn't an instant fix. The PUC, utilities, PJM, and lawmakers all play a role. I'm ready to work with all of them. My commitment to you:

Work across the aisle with PJM, the PUC, and utilities to fast-track renewable energy while keeping all our other energy sources.
Represent you at PUC hearings so every affordability option is considered, cumulative hikes are capped, and assistance programs for seniors and others are adjusted.
Replace lost solar tax credits with new options from the PUC, utilities, and businesses.
Push for legislation allowing balcony solar.
Require data centers to bring their own power, pay for all upgrades, and be transparent so ratepayers don't foot the bill.
Leverage PA's standing as the largest electricity exporter to cap cumulative rate hikes and push PJM to expedite new projects.

DEVELOPMENT
AI DATA CENTERS

I am against all AI data centers in PA.

Big Tech wants to build them everywhere, but what they aren’t telling you is that your electricity bills will pay for it.

Calls for data-center laws requiring operators to fund power and environmental impacts and disclose their operations.

Plans to fast-track renewable energy while retaining Pennsylvania’s other energy sources.

Plans to seek caps on cumulative utility-rate increases and adjust utility-assistance programs for seniors and others.

Plans to replace lost solar tax credits with new incentives from regulators, utilities, and businesses.

Plans to pursue legislation allowing balcony solar installations.

Opposes artificial-intelligence data centers in Pennsylvania.

- Calls for data-center laws requiring operators to fund power and environmental impacts and disclose their operations.
- Plans to fast-track renewable energy while retaining Pennsylvania’s other energy sources.
- Plans to seek caps on cumulative utility-rate increases and adjust utility-assistance programs for seniors and others.
- Plans to replace lost solar tax credits with new incentives from regulators, utilities, and businesses.
- Plans to pursue legislation allowing balcony solar installations.
- Opposes artificial-intelligence data centers in Pennsylvania.

Energy & the Environment

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

Public Safety

“Corruption isn’t an abstract political problem — it’s a tax you pay every day, in higher costs and broken promises. In Harrisburg, special interests write the rules, backroom deals decide the outcomes, and everyday families are left footing the bill.

My commitment is simple. I support legislation that bans gifts to legislators and stops dark money, including corporate cash, from coming into our elections. Why? Because you can’t fight for transparency with one hand out for special-interest cash. My donors are you — the people — and you’re who I answer to.”

What changes, if any, would you support to enable better access, ensure security, and support the processes of our elections?
PA is known for its free, fair, and secure elections. I would, however, like to see more help available for seniors that come to the polls. Many that are affected by conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer's, or others, may have a hard time signing their signature, or organizing the boxes they see on the page to fill them out.

Supports banning gifts to legislators and restricting dark money, including corporate cash, in elections.

Supports providing more assistance to seniors at polling places.

- Supports banning gifts to legislators and restricting dark money, including corporate cash, in elections.
- Supports providing more assistance to seniors at polling places.

Voting & Elections

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Jess Branas

- Advocates for raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to improve affordability for working residents.
- Plans to eliminate flat utility customer charges she calls “junk fees.”
- Supports beginning the state budget process earlier and requiring legislators to remain in Harrisburg near the June 30 deadline.
- Supports freezing legislators’ pay when the state budget is delayed.

- Plans to empower the Pennsylvania Insurance Department to negotiate and challenge substantial cumulative premium increases.
- Plans to expand affordable healthcare through incentives and tax credits, including for small businesses with fewer than 50 full-time employees.
- Plans to address hospital staffing shortages through tuition reimbursement tied to years of service.
- Plans to strengthen audits and enforcement against corporate fraud involving Medicare and Medicaid, using savings to expand access and lower costs.
- Plans to require health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions.
- Plans to require insurers to disclose when artificial intelligence makes coverage-denial decisions.
- Plans to expand services helping seniors remain at home and improve nursing-facility care and access.

- Plans to fast-track renewable energy while retaining Pennsylvania’s other energy sources.
- Plans to seek caps on cumulative utility-rate increases and adjust utility-assistance programs for seniors and others.
- Plans to replace lost solar tax credits with new incentives from regulators, utilities, and businesses.
- Plans to pursue legislation allowing balcony solar installations.
- Opposes artificial-intelligence data centers in Pennsylvania.

Bluesky

Edward Krutsch

Buket Urgen

Steve Mentzer

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