A special election to fill Corey O’Connor’s City Council seat will be held on Nov. 8, the same day as this year’s general election.
City Clerk Brenda Pree said that the writ of election would be submitted to the Allegheny County Board of Elections on Wednesday. Mr. O’Connor’s seat is the only one up for election this year.
Mr. O’Connor, who represents District 5, was appointed the new Allegheny County Controller by the Pennsylvania Senate last Friday and officially resigned from his council seat on Sunday.
After his confirmation Friday, he said he was “just eager to get started.”
Mr. O’Connor was first elected to City Council in 2012 and is replacing former controller Chelsa Wagner.
“It has been an honor to serve the residents of District 5 for the last decade and see its neighborhoods grow stronger, safer and more prosperous while making government work for them,” Mr. O’Connor said in a statement he released on Twitter. “As Controller, my priorities will be to ensure the effective delivery of government services, modernize operations, and bring a greater level of transparency to government.”
A private swearing-in ceremony was held on Monday for his new position.
Council President Theresa Kail-Smith congratulated Mr. O’Connor on his new position during Tuesday’s meeting. His duties as the chair of the Public Safety Committee will be passed onto Ms. Kail-Smith until the seat is filled.
Two people are already vying for the now-vacated seat.
Barb Warwick, a Greenfield resident announced her run in what she describes as a “community-driven campaign” in May, before Mr. O’Connor had officially been appointed.
Tuesday evening, former City Council member Doug Shields announced he would also be running for the position.
Mr. Shields represented District 5 from 2004 to 2012, before which he served as Chief of Staff for Mayor Bob O’Connor, Mr. O’Connor’s father.
Hallie Lauer: hlauer@post-gazette.com
First Published: July 12, 2022, 5:16 p.m.