Don Hahn, the Mayor of State College Borough, is planning on running unopposed for district judge. If he does win, he will have to resign as mayor.

If Hahn does leave his role as Mayor with the Sate College Borough, the council would pick his successor, as opposed to a vote like a regular mayoral election.

State College Borough Mayor Don Hahn made history when he was elected in 2017.

“Mayor Hahn is the first person we’ve had of color as the Mayor of State College,” Evan Myers, President of State College Borough, said.

He’s now running unopposed for the district magisterial judge seat. If Hahn wins in November, he plans on submitting his resignation to the borough December 16th.

Borough council replaced Mayor Bill Welch, when he died in 2009. Council Member Theresa Lafer wants them to go about it the same way.

“One of the thing we agreed on and I hope we can agree on this time, is that the appointee be somebody that is not planning on running for mayor,” Lafer, said.

Lafer is saying she believes appointing a person mayor who has intentions of running for mayor after the current two year term, would be an unfair advantage over other future candidates.

Other council members agreed with Lafer, but not everyone.

“I think you should pick whoever you think is the best person to serve in the job and that to me is the only criteria I intend to use,” Jesse Barlow, Council Member for State College Borough, said.

Borough Council is accepting applications which can be sent to any council member through November 6th. Candidates will need a majority four out of the seven council votes to be elected.

The borough council hopes to vote on a new mayor the day Hahn would resign, December 16th.