A Phila. district with a York County accent

Halfway through their two-year terms, three Philadelphia legislators are giving up their seats in the state House in early January to take positions in the city - newly elected City Council members Dennis O'Brien and Kenyatta Johnson and the new sheriff in town, Jewell Williams.

All three seats will be filled in special elections, on dates still to be designated by House Speaker Sam Smith, the second most famous resident of Punxsutawney.

Curiously, however, Philadelphia voters will be deciding only two of the replacements, for Johnson and Williams. The next person to fill O'Brien's seat, for most of 2012, will be picked by voters in western York County, south of Harrisburg, according to authorities in Harrisburg.

It's a strange situation. Voters in Northeast Philadelphia elected O'Brien in 2010 and you'd think they would have the privilege of choosing his replacement.

But O'Brien's district is being shifted about 100 miles west as part of a legislative reapportionment plan expected to win final approval this week - the deadline is Wednesday - from a panel including four legislative leaders and a former president judge of state Superior Court.

Steve Miskin, spokesman for the House speaker, says that under past state Supreme Court decisions, the new redistricting maps will determine who votes to fill House seats in special elections. Candidates for special elections will be picked by political parties - in Philadelphia, by ward leaders with territory inside the districts. - Bob Warner

If Jewell Williams has his way, his colleagues in Harrisburg will have no problem remembering the name of his successor. For a couple of months, he's been introducing pols to his favorite for the seat: his 23-year-old daughter, Jewel.

Neither the state rep nor his daughter could be reached for comment, but Harriet Lessy, a spokeswoman during Williams' campaign for sheriff, confirmed that Jewel, who works for the Parking Authority, is considering the race. She lives in the district, Lessy said, and either has or is working toward an associate degree from the Community College of Philadelphia.

Al Spivey, chief of staff to City Councilman Curtis Jones, had been interested in Williams' seat. But Spivey said last week that he lives outside the new boundaries proposed for the legislative district and expects to continue working for Jones, who will have expanded duties as Council majority leader.

Damon K. Roberts, the attorney who dropped out of the Second Council District race a week before the primary election, likely swinging the race to Kenyatta Johnson, now wants to replace Johnson in the state House. Roberts, about to turn 41, says he's hoping for Johnson's endorsement and support but has no commitment from Johnson, in spite of Roberts' critical decision helping Johnson to his narrow primary win over Barbara Capozzi.

"It was not an exchange, not a quid pro quo in that manner," Roberts said. "There was certainly a hope that he would support me, given our friendship. When he was first running [for the state House], I bought him shoes when his [old pair was] wearing out." - Bob Warner