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Austin Davis
✓

Austin Davis

Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania

Democrat Pennsylvania
34th
Lt. Governor
Yr 4
of 4-yr Term
Senate
President
2023
Since
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◆ Executive Agenda

Stated Policy Priorities

Mental health & crisis intervention
high
Veterans' services & support
high
Economic opportunity & workforce dev
medium
Environmental justice
medium
Civic engagement & voting access
medium
Second in command — but what does that mean? The Lt. Governor's office is constitutionally thin. Davis gets four required duties: presiding over the Senate, chairing the Board of Pardons, and sitting on two state councils. Everything else is what he asked for or built himself. That's the accountability question — is he using the office, or coasting in it?
◆ Roles

What This Office Does — And How Davis Is Using It

Constitutional
President of the PA Senate
Presides over Senate sessions. Casts tie-breaking votes. Largely ceremonial — but the tie-breaker matters in a divided chamber.
Constitutional
Chair, Board of Pardons
Reviews cases where people seek pardons or commutation of sentences. Recommends to the Governor. This is where real lives are directly affected.
Davis modernized the system — launched online applications, record number of hearings. Most impactful constitutional duty.
Appointed by Shapiro
Chair, PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD)
Distributes hundreds of millions annually for gun violence prevention, school safety, and criminal justice. Davis asked for this role — it wasn't automatic.
$85M in Violence Intervention grants distributed to 130+ projects statewide under his leadership.
Appointed by Shapiro
Chair, Advisory Council for Inclusive Procurement
Advises state agencies on diversifying contracting. Davis reports 30% increase in state spending with Black-owned and Latino-owned businesses.
Self-initiated
Chair, Democratic Lt. Governors Association
National role fundraising and organizing for Democratic gubernatorial races. Focused on 31 governor's races in 2026 midterms including Pennsylvania.
This is the role that signals his political ambition — building a national profile while in state office.
◆ Board of Pardons — the most consequential thing he does

The Board of Pardons is where people who have served their sentences — or who were wrongly convicted — apply for a second chance. Davis chairs it. The board recommends to the Governor whether to grant or deny. Under Davis, the board has processed more applications faster than any prior Lt. Governor.

Record
Hearings held this term
Online
Application system launched
↑ Staff
Added to process backlog
What FORA will track: pardon application volume, hearing frequency, approval vs. denial rates as data becomes available. Pardons data is public record — this is one of the clearest accountability metrics for this office.
◆ Record

Recent Activity

Nov 2025
Monroe & Pike Counties — state budget highlights tour
Traveled to highlight local investments from the state budget — regional outreach is a signature part of his approach
Outreach
Nov 2025
Urged USDA to distribute SNAP funding after Shapiro sues federal government
Publicly pushed for food assistance funding for nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians after federal holdback
Federal relations
Oct 2025
Lebanon County — new regional police departments
Highlighted administration investments in creating regional police coverage for underserved areas
Public safety
Dec 2024
Named chair of Democratic Lt. Governors Association
Took on national party role leading fundraising for 31 governor's races in 2026
Political
Since 2023
$85M in Violence Intervention & Prevention grants distributed
130+ projects statewide funded through PCCD under Davis's chairmanship
Gun violence
◆ Performance

Accountability Tracker

Board of Pardons — modernized
Yes — online system, record hearings
VIP grants distributed
$85M to 130+ projects
Minority business contracting increase
+30% reported
Office of Gun Violence Prevention
Re-established + $4M DOJ grant
DLGA chair — national political role
Raises questions about time allocation
Pardons approval/denial rate
Not yet publicly tracked by FORA
2026 governor's race
Running — campaign launched
◆ Community

Q&A

◆ How do you see it?
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◆ Data Note

Data hardcoded as of March 2026. Sources: governor.pa.gov, Franklin & Marshall College Poll, PA General Assembly.

◆ Contact
Office
Main Capitol Building · Harrisburg, PA 17120
Website
www.ltgov.pa.gov ↗
Constituent Request
Submit online ↗
◆ If Shapiro Leaves Office
1
Josh Shapiro
Governor
2
Austin Davis
becomes Governor

If Shapiro resigned, was removed, or died in office, Davis would become Governor immediately. No special election — he serves the remainder of the term. This is the single most consequential thing about this office.

◆ 2026 Governor's Race
Running for Governor
Shapiro and Davis announced they are running for re-election together. Davis is considered a top Democratic gubernatorial contender regardless.
The 2026 PA governor's race is one of 31 Davis is organizing as DLGA chair — including his own.
◆ What He Can't Do
Cannot introduce legislation — he's not a senator
Cannot grant pardons himself — recommends to the Governor only
Cannot direct state agencies — he has no executive cabinet
Cannot act independently of Shapiro on budget or policy
◆ Term & Election
Yr 4 of 4 done
Elected Lt. Governor
November 2022
On ticket with Gov. Shapiro
Sworn in — 34th Lt. Governor
January 17, 2023
First Black Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania
In office
March 2026
Currently serving
General Election
November 2026
⚡ ~7 months away
◆ Legislative Context

Davis presides over a Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Senate as its constitutional President — a role that requires building coalitions while advancing the Shapiro-Davis administration's agenda.

Austin Davis
Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
34th
Lt. Governor
Yr 4
of 4-yr Term
Senate
President
Contact Office ↗
◆ Policy Priorities
Mental health & crisis intervention
Veterans' services & support
Economic opportunity & workforce dev
Environmental justice
Civic engagement & voting access
◆ Roles & Record
Second in command — constitutional duties are thin. Davis chairs the Board of Pardons, presides over the Senate, and runs two Shapiro-appointed councils. Everything else he built himself.
5 Roles
Constitutional President, PA Senate
Constitutional Chair, Board of Pardons
Appointed Chair, PCCD (gun violence)
Appointed Chair, Inclusive Procurement
Self-initiated Chair, Dem LG Association
Board of Pardons
Record
Hearings
Online
Applications
↑ Staff
Backlog
If Shapiro Leaves Office
Shapiro → Davis becomes Governor immediately — no special election, serves remainder of term.
Accountability Tracker
Board of Pardons modernized
✓ Record hearings
$85M VIP grants
✓ 130+ projects
+30% minority contracting
✓ Reported
DLGA national role
⚑ Time allocation
2026 governor's race
⚑ Running
◆ Community

Q&A

◆ How do you see it?
📷 Add a photo (optional)
or
Contact Office governor.pa.gov ↗