Biographical Information. COUNTY Chester. OCCUPATION Small business owner. EDUCATION Bachelor of Science - Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston.

Pennsylvania State Senator District 44 — VOTE411 Voter Guide

Melissa is currently an outreach partner for several community members, ranging from equine interaction to vocational education. She also serves as the Chairperson for Charlestown Township's Historic Commission and served as chair planner for the America250 Celebration.

Meet Melissa

Melissa Dicranian. Party: Republican. Residence: Chester County. Age: Not provided.

Election 2026: The race to represent the 44th Senatorial District

Melissa Dicranian earned a Bachelor of Science from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. She serves as chairperson of Charlestown Township's Historic Commission and was the chair planner for the America250 Celebration. She lives in Chester County.

Pennsylvania State Senator District 44 — VOTE411 Voter Guide ...

Melissa Dicranian earned a Bachelor of Science from Wentworth Institute of Technology. She serves as chairperson of Charlestown Township's Historic Commission and was the chair planner for the America250 Celebration. She lives in Chester County.

Today, Melissa operates a small business at her family farm, where she managed a multi year renovation of a neglected property. This enabled Melissa and her husband to teach their children self reliance, as well as giving them first hand knowledge of budgets, scopes of work, contracts, and seeing the work of skilled trades.

She earned her Bachelor's Degree from Wentworth; a Boston lab-based engineering college. Melissa built a career with architectural firms in Boston and South Carolina as a architectural designer, owner representative, and architectural consultant. She worked on corporate offices, schools, churches and historic buildings.

Melissa Dicranian operates a small business at her family farm. She previously worked with architectural firms in Boston and South Carolina as an architectural designer, owner's representative, and architectural consultant.

2026 Pennsylvania General Election 

Question 1: Recent polls show a majority of Pennsylvanians are increasingly worried about the high cost of utilities, groceries, gas and housing. What would you do to address those economic concerns? Response: I will work for limited government, a pro-growth economy and low tax initiatives. AMERICA250 is time to open our energy to fuel more manufacturing in Pennsylvania.

Response: I will work for limited government, a pro-growth economy and low tax initiatives. AMERICA250 is time to open our energy to fuel more manufacturing in Pennsylvania. When we make what we buy, and we buy what we make, we invest in our communities and in America. Pennsylvania’s economy currently ranks 47th in the nation; unacceptable for an energy producing state. Eliminate excess regulation.

Supports limited government, a pro-growth economy, and low-tax initiatives.

Calls for eliminating "excess regulation."

- Supports limited government, a pro-growth economy, and low-tax initiatives.
- Calls for eliminating "excess regulation."

Economy

EDUCATION - Every graduate must be fully educated to enter trade schools, colleges, universities, the armed forces, and self business starters opportunities in Pennsylvania. Upskill our workforce into trending jobs to make Pennsylvania a leader of the future.

Melissa for 44

Calls for graduates to be prepared for trades, higher education, military service, or starting a business.

- Calls for graduates to be prepared for trades, higher education, military service, or starting a business.

Education

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

Healthcare

Voting & Elections

Public Safety

Question 2: Artificial intelligence and the proliferation of massive data centers needed to power it have become major topics of discussion recently. What should government do to address the impact these centers have on local communities? Response: Municipalities are updating their ordinances to fully encompass environmental regulatory parameters on data center land use zoning and development. We must prioritize protecting our environment and citizens, as it is immensely important. Although permitted in Pennsylvania, I stand against eminent domain for utilities on agricultural land that has been preserved.

Although permitted in Pennsylvania, I stand against eminent domain for utilities on agricultural land that has been preserved. I support Senate Bill 225, which would amend eminent domain. Per municipality regulation, our legislation should require that data centers pay for all electricity transmission and infrastructure costs.

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)? This question is truly whether or not to maintain the current authority of the municipalities with the new, controversial topic of data centers. The question then becomes what is the ask of data centers in terms of land, resources, etc. that comes with the development of them. Is this ask significant enough to warrant this change of authority. From that lens, this becomes a generalized question, as data centers can greatly range in what is required for their development, perhaps suggesting it should be analyzed from on a case-by-case basis. The best approach may stem from coordination in efforts between state legislatures and municipality members, as more awareness on this topic becomes accessible.

Affordability begins with Pennsylvania energy. ENERGY - To have affordability you must have affordable energy. Pennsylvania is an energy producer; that energy should benefit our citizens first! Pennsylvania energy should be powering more Pennsylvania Manufacturing.

Opposes using eminent domain for utilities on preserved agricultural land.

Opposes allowing the government to seize preserved agricultural land for utilities.

Calls for data centers to pay electricity transmission and infrastructure costs under municipal regulations.

Calls for case-by-case data-center review and coordination between state legislators and municipal officials.

Advocates for Pennsylvania energy to benefit residents and power more manufacturing in Pennsylvania.

- Opposes allowing the government to seize preserved agricultural land for utilities.
- Calls for data centers to pay electricity transmission and infrastructure costs under municipal regulations.
- Calls for case-by-case data-center review and coordination between state legislators and municipal officials.
- Advocates for Pennsylvania energy to benefit residents and power more manufacturing in Pennsylvania.

Energy & the Environment

Melissa Dicranian

Calls for predetermined, specific deadlines for completing the state budget.

Opposes increasing the minimum wage amid current inflation.

Calls for transparency in one-time state funding to prevent it from becoming a permanent tax-funded source.

Supports education funding that follows students to public, private, or homeschool options.

Supports in-person physician consultations and reporting requirements for medication abortion.

Opposes taxpayer funding for abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood.

Supports maintaining Medicaid and Medicare but opposes other taxpayer-funded healthcare programs.

Opposes allowing people to vote without photo identification.

Opposes Pennsylvania joining the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.

Opposes redirecting police-department funding to community programs.

Opposes additional restrictions on gun ownership.

- Advocates for Pennsylvania energy to benefit residents and power more manufacturing in Pennsylvania.

Facebook

Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

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? The state budget should have pre-determined and specific deadlines for the process of completion.

What is your position on the minimum wage? Increasing minimum wage in this ongoing economic crisis will cause businesses to close; including EMS providers and allow for fewer employment positions. Voting for a minimum wage increase given the current inflation, is reckless.

Melissa Dicranian Candidate Profile

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? Every state budget should be goal-oriented toward serving the prosperity of the people in the free-market. The goal would be that Pennsylvania is better every year, thus being a leader state, working with other states for combined betterment. Transparency for one-time funding sources so that these sources keep their intended function, rather than create a new perpetual tax-funded source.

EDUCATION. The state should fund education by allowing dollars to follow the child through programs which protect parents' freedom to choose their child's school – public, private, or homeschool. Strongly Agree. We must carry out the responsibility of well educating all children, with lessons and skill sets to carry them through their lifetime.

RIGHT TO LIFE. Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed? None. Chemical abortion drugs should meet essential safety standards (such as in-person consultation with a medical doctor) and require reporting to gather evidence on reactions and outcomes. Strongly Agree.

RIGHT TO LIFE. Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed? None. Chemical abortion drugs should meet essential safety standards (such as in-person consultation with a medical doctor) and require reporting to gather evidence on reactions and outcomes. Strongly Agree. Birth control pills are facilitated through a medical doctor consult; what would make chemical abortion pills differ?

Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants). Agree. The provider's role in healthcare (NOT including abortion), could facilitate for people that have no other healthcare provider options.

HEALTHCARE. What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. These programs must be administered in a productive responsible way with guidance that in no way receives benefits in or from the process of administration of these plans.

What changes, if any, would you support to enable better access, ensure security, and support the processes of our elections? Pass -The Save Act. November 2025 Chester County voter services supplying incomplete voter books is a clear picture of voter accessibility problems.

What changes, if any, would you support to enable better access, ensure security, and support the processes of our elections? Pass -The Save Act. November 2025 Chester County voter services supplying incomplete voter books is a clear picture of voter accessibility problems. The voters directly effected by this incompetence are not included in voting rights in primary elections. Pennsylvania should have open Primaries.

ELECTIONS AND VOTING. People should be able to vote without photo identification. Strongly Disagree. States should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which makes the Electoral College irrelevant. Strongly Disagree.

States should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which makes the Electoral College irrelevant. Strongly Disagree. The Electoral College is the means by which all voices are equally represented. By providing for the smaller group to have equal representation, and not be cancelled due to a majority vote.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY. I support redirecting funds from police departments to community programs. Strongly Disagree.

2ND AMENDMENT. What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety? None. We need to address the societal breakdown happening in America.

Katie Muth

- 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.
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- 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.