### Biographical Information

County Montgomery

Occupation Self Employed

Education Bachelor of Science in Geology, University of Akron; graduate school at Drexel University

Pennsylvania State Senator District 24 — VOTE411 Voter Guide. Additional information available on VOTE411.org.

From there, he moved from the classroom into community organizing, building grassroots power across Montgomery and Berks counties. Chris and his Wife, Lydia, reside in Perkiomenville, PA.

Chris Thomas for Pennsylvania State Senate

Chris is also a volunteer firefighter who believes leadership means showing up when people need you most, not just when it’s convenient.

Now, he’s running for Pennsylvania State Senate in District 24 to take on the cost-of-living crisis and stand up for working families.

Chris Thomas earned a Bachelor of Science in geology from the University of Akron and attended graduate school at Drexel University. He lives with his wife, Lydia, in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania, and is a volunteer firefighter.

He started his work in construction before becoming a middle school math and science teacher, where he saw firsthand how underfunded schools and broken systems fail both students and educators.

### Biographical Information

County Montgomery

Occupation Self Employed

Chris Thomas is self-employed. He previously worked in construction, as a middle school math and science teacher, and in community organizing across Montgomery and Berks counties.

2026 Pennsylvania General Election 

Not only do we need to work to bring costs down, we need to raise folks' wages. It is past time to raise the wage in Pennsylvania and ensure it keeps pace with the cost of living. The minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009, while costs for housing, food, and transportation have continued to rise.

Platform | Chris Thomas

Chris supports the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit.

This would provide much-needed assistance with the costs of child care, food, transportation, clothes, and other household expenses for working families living paycheck to paycheck.

No one should have to choose between their family and their paycheck.

That's why Chris supports establishing a statewide paid family and medical leave program, ensuring Pennsylvanians can care for themselves, a loved one, or a new child without risking their financial security.

Supports raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage and indexing it to the cost of living.

Supports the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit to help working families pay household expenses.

Supports establishing a statewide paid family and medical leave program.

- Supports raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage and indexing it to the cost of living.
- Supports the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit to help working families pay household expenses.
- Supports establishing a statewide paid family and medical leave program.

Economy

We need to fix the broken funding system that drives property tax hikes and creates unequal opportunities — this current funding model disproportionately affects children, households on a budget, and seniors
Ensure every student has access to a high-quality education, regardless of their ZIP code

Investing in Kids While Protecting Taxpayers
Fully, Fairly, and Adequately Fund K–12 Education
Guarantee Childcare Access for Every Family That Needs It
Universal Free Breakfast and Lunch

Investing in Kids While Protecting Taxpayers
Fully, Fairly, and Adequately Fund K–12 Education
Guarantee Childcare Access for Every Family That Needs It
Universal Free Breakfast and Lunch

No hungry children — it is unacceptable that too many of our students are hungry and not knowing where they are getting their next meal.

Advocates reforming Pennsylvania's school-funding system and fully funding kindergarten through 12th-grade education.

Supports universal free school breakfast and lunch.

- Advocates reforming Pennsylvania's school-funding system and fully funding kindergarten through 12th-grade education.
- Supports universal free school breakfast and lunch.

Education

For too long, people have been paying more for healthcare and getting less in return. We need to fix our broken healthcare system so folks don’t get buried in medical debt, monthly costs are lowered, and you have access to quality care. To address this, Chris supports ending surprise medical billing so families aren’t hit with unexpected, unaffordable costs.

Supports ending surprise medical billing.

- Supports ending surprise medical billing.

Healthcare

What changes, if any, would you support to enable better access, ensure security, and support the processes of our elections?
I am 100% against the attempts of the current administration in DC to federalize elections, make it harder to vote, and disfranchise entire groups of voters. States have a constitutional mandate to administer elections freely and fairly.

States have a constitutional mandate to administer elections freely and fairly. I support Gov. Shapiro's attempts to protect voter's rights and privacy. I support our local Sheriff's commitment to protecting polling locations from outside interference.

I support the need for every legally cast ballot to be counted and will work with election integrity partners to make sure that any citizen who wants to vote, can vote.

Opposes federal election policies that he says would make voting harder or disenfranchise voters.

Supports counting every legally cast ballot and protecting voters' rights and privacy.

- Opposes federal election policies that he says would make voting harder or disenfranchise voters.
- Supports counting every legally cast ballot and protecting voters' rights and privacy.

Voting & Elections

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

Public Safety

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)?

I believe the State Legislature should pass balanced, comprehensive guidance on how data centers use our natural resources and generate their own power, and ensure the greatest possible transparency and advanced planning so local communities are not only protected but benefit from cost mitigation and job creation.

Keep our air and water clean, protect public lands from corporate abuse, and ensure neighborhoods are shielded from excessive noise pollution.

Utility costs are out of control. While utility companies seek higher rates, working families are left paying the bill.

Chris supports Governor Shapiro's plan to hold utilities accountable and protect consumers from unjustified rate increases.

But accountability alone isn't enough. Pennsylvania needs more reliable energy generation to meet growing demand. Chris supports fast-tracking investment in new energy projects, especially renewables, to increase supply and lower costs over time.

We also need to modernize and strengthen our electric grid. Extreme weather is becoming more common, and every major outage costs consumers and taxpayers money.

Supports statewide rules on data centers' natural-resource use, power generation, transparency, and community planning.

Supports statewide rules governing data centers' use of natural resources, power generation, transparency, and community planning.

Calls for protecting clean air, clean water, public lands, and neighborhoods from excessive noise pollution.

Supports Governor Shapiro's plan to hold utilities accountable for unjustified rate increases.

Supports fast-tracking new energy projects, especially renewable energy, and modernizing the electric grid.

- Supports statewide rules governing data centers' use of natural resources, power generation, transparency, and community planning.
- Calls for protecting clean air, clean water, public lands, and neighborhoods from excessive noise pollution.
- Supports Governor Shapiro's plan to hold utilities accountable for unjustified rate increases.
- Supports fast-tracking new energy projects, especially renewable energy, and modernizing the electric grid.

Energy & the Environment

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Chris Thomas

Supports banning surveillance pricing and dynamic pricing of essential goods such as groceries.

- Supports counting every legally cast ballot and protecting voters' rights and privacy.

- Supports Governor Shapiro's plan to hold utilities accountable for unjustified rate increases.
- Supports fast-tracking new energy projects, especially renewable energy, and modernizing the electric grid.

Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

Surveillance pricing is when big corporations use your personal data to charge consumers the highest price they think they'll pay.

Chris supports banning surveillance pricing in Pennsylvania.

He also supports prohibiting dynamic pricing on essential goods like groceries. Working families shouldn't face constantly changing prices for necessities while corporations use new technology to maximize profits at our expense.

Mike Schonewolf

Tracy E Pennycuick

- Your state senator represents the interests of your district in the Pennsylvania State Senate. The State Senate, along with the State House of Representatives, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Pennsylvania General Assembly. 
- Your state senator can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws after going through the legislative process.
- The State Senator and their staff members respond to constituent concerns and questions through emails, phone calls, and website announcements. 
- The State Senator oversees the executive branch and can vote to overrule a veto by the Governor.   
- There are 50 Pennsylvania state senators, each representing a single district.
- Senators must be at least 25 years old, U.S. citizens, and residents of Pennsylvania for four years. They must also have lived in their district for one year before the election and must remain there throughout their term.
- State senators are elected to four-year terms and have a salary of $106,000, with a 1-3% annual increase.  

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Pennsylvania Senate.