2017 Erie County Executive election

2017 Erie County Executive election

←  2013 November 7, 2017 2021  →

Nominee Kathy Dahlkemper Art Oligeri Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 30,454 30,150 Percentage 50.25% 49.75%

County Executive before election Kathy Dahlkemper Democratic Elected County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper Democratic

The 2017 Erie County Executive election was held on November 7, 2017. Incumbent Democratic County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper ran for re-election to a second term. She won renomation and then faced businessman Art Oligeri, the Republican nominee, in the general election. Despite Donald Trump's victory in the county in the 2016 presidential election, Dahlkemper narrowly defeated Oligeri, winning re-election by a 304-vote margin. ^[1]

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Kathy Dahlkemper, incumbent County Executive
• Joseph K. Curlett, retired state employee ^[2]

Results

Democratic primary results ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Kathy Dahlkemper (inc.)	16,314	67.66%
	Democratic	Joseph K. Curlett	7,589	31.47%
	Democratic	Write-ins	210	0.87%
Total votes			24,113	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

• Art Oligeri, businessman ^[4]
• Brenton Davis, construction company owner ^[5]
• Edward DiMattio, County Councilman ^[6]
• Tim Sonney, Erie city employee ^[7]
• Tom Loftus, former Lawrence Park Township Commissioner, 2013 Republican candidate for County Executive ^[8]

Results

Republican primary results ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Art Oligeri	4,789	29.66%
	Republican	Brenton Davis	4,575	28.33%
	Republican	Edward DiMattio	2,878	17.82%
	Republican	Tim Sonney	2,655	16.44%
	Republican	Tom Loftus	1,180	7.31%
	Republican	Write-ins	71	0.44%
Total votes			16,148	100.00%

General election

Results

2017 Erie County Executive election ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Kathy Dahlkemper (inc.)	30,454	50.25%
	Republican	Art Oligeri	30,150	49.75%
Total votes			60,604	100.00%
	Democratic hold

References

1. Zito, Salena (November 27, 2017). "Pay attention to this moderate Democrat's win in northwest Pa". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . Retrieved July 7, 2025.
2. Salvatori, Nico (February 22, 2017). "Incumbent Dahlkemper faces challenger for Democratic nomination". Erie Times-News . Erie, Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on July 7, 2025. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
3. "2017 PRIMARY ELECTION - ERIE COUNTY, PA" (PDF). Erie County Department of Elections and Voter Registration. May 23, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
4. Salvatori, Nico (January 9, 2017). "County Councilman DiMattio to run for top county office". Erie Times-News . Erie, Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
5. Salvatori, Nico (April 4, 2017). "Davis, citing Army role, touts leadership strengths". Erie Times-News . Erie, Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
6. Salvatori, Nico (February 15, 2017). "County Councilman DiMattio to run for top county office". Erie Times-News . Erie, Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on July 7, 2025. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
7. Salvatori, Nico (December 18, 2016). "Harborcreek man to run for county executive". Erie Times-News . Erie, Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on July 7, 2025. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
8. Salvatori, Nico (April 6, 2017). "Loftus would make public safety his focus". Erie Times-News . Erie, Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on July 7, 2025. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
9. "2017 MUNICIPAL GENERAL - ERIE COUNTY, PA" (PDF). Erie County Department of Elections and Voter Registration. November 13, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2025.