1999 Allegheny County Executive election

Last updated

1999 Allegheny County Executive election
November 2, 1999 2003  
  3x4.svg 3x4.svg
Nominee Jim Roddey Cyril Wecht
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote178,312172,084
Percentage50.89%49.11%

County Executive before election

Position established

Elected County Executive

Jim Roddey
Republican

The 1999 Allegheny County Executive election was held on November 2, 1999. The election was the first one following the 1998 passage of Allegheny County's charter, which replaced the existing County Commission with an elected County Executive and a fifteen-member County Council. [1]

Contents

Both parties had contested primaries for the position. In the Democratic primary, County Coroner Cyril Wecht defeated County Commissioner Michael Dawida by a wide margin, winning the nomination with 57 percent of the vote. Businessman and civic activist Jim Roddey defeated County Commissioner Larry Dunn in a landslide, winning 68–32 percent. In the general election, Roddey narrowly defeated Wecht, 51–49 percent, becoming the first person to be elected County Executive, and, as of 2023, the only Republican to ever be elected to the position. [2]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Primary results

Democratic primary results [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Cyril Wecht 99,424 56.57%
Democratic Michael Dawida76,34443.43%
Total votes175,768 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Primary results

Republican primary results [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jim Roddey 49,361 68.03%
Republican Larry Dunn23,19231.97%
Total votes72,553 100.00%

General election

Results

1999 Allegheny County Executive election [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jim Roddey 178,312 50.89%
Democratic Cyril Wecht 172,08449.11%
Total votes350,396 100.00%
Republican win (new seat)

References

  1. O'Toole, James (May 20, 1998). "Home rule slips in: Voters endorse county charter's big changes by tiny margin". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. A1. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  2. Wereschagin, Mike; Bohnel, Steve; Lauer, Hallie (March 7, 2024). "Jim Roddey, the first Allegheny County executive and a staple of Pittsburgh-area politics, dies at 91". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  3. O'Toole, James (November 19, 1998). "Wecht starts county executive run on energetic note". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. C1. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  4. "Dawida running for county exec". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. January 9, 1999. p. C4. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Official Election Results - 05/18/99 - Primary". Allegheny County Elections Division. Archived from the original on June 30, 2004. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  6. O'Toole, James (January 15, 1999). "Roddey makes county exec bid official". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. B1. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  7. O'Toole, James (January 17, 1999). "Dunn rocks into race". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. B1. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  8. "Official Election Results - 11/02/99 - General". Allegheny County Elections Division. Archived from the original on June 27, 2004. Retrieved July 7, 2025.