{{short description|American politician}} {{infobox officeholder | name = Napoleon J. Nelson, Sr. | party = Democratic | state_house = Pennsylvania | district = 154th | term_start = {{start date|2021|1|5}} | term_end = | predecessor = Steve McCarter | successor = | office2 = Finance Officer, Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania<ref name="votesmart">{{cite web |title=Napoleon Nelson, Sr.'s Biography |url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/190162/napoleon-nelson-sr |website=Vote Smart |access-date=13 December 2020}}</ref> | term_start2 = 2018 | office3 = Board Director, Cheltenham School District<ref name="votesmart"/> | term_start3 = 2011 | term_end3 = 2017 | spouse = Shareese<ref name="patchprofile">{{cite news |last1=Heinze |first1=Justin |title=2020 Candidate Profile: Napoleon Nelson, State Rep. 154th |url=https://patch.com/pennsylvania/abington/2020-candidate-profile-napoleon-nelson-state-rep-154th |access-date=13 December 2020 |work=Patch.com |date=20 May 2020}}</ref> | children = 2<ref name="patchprofile" /> | occupation = Financier<ref name="legisstatepa-bio">{{cite web |title=Napoleon J. Nelson |url=https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/House_bio.cfm?id=1914 |website=Pennsylvania House of Representatives |access-date=13 December 2020}}</ref> | alma_mater = Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BS)<br/>Wharton School (MBA)<ref name="votesmart"/> }}

'''Napoleon J. Nelson, Sr.''' is an American politician. He is a Democrat representing District 154 in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

==Early life==

Nelson attended Central High School and graduated in 1998. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, and earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2007.<ref name="votesmart"/><ref name="patchprofile"/>

==Political career==

Nelson served as board director for the Cheltenham school district from 2011 to 2017, and became the finance officer for Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania in 2018.<ref name="votesmart"/>

In 2019, former state representative Steve McCarter announced that he would not seek re-election in 2020,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Caruso |first1=Stephen |title=MontCo Dem McCarter announces 2020 retirement |url=https://www.penncapital-star.com/blog/montco-dem-mccarter-announces-2020-retirement/ |access-date=13 December 2020 |work=Pennsylvania Capital-Star |date=25 November 2019}}</ref> and Nelson ran for the open seat. He won a six-way Democratic primary with 39.2% of the vote, and went on to win the general election with 77.5% of the vote. He assumed office on December 1, 2020, becoming the first black state representative for Pennsylvania's 154th District.<ref name="ballotpedia">{{cite web |title=Napoleon Nelson |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Napoleon_Nelson |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=13 December 2020}}</ref> Nelson currently sits on the Aging & Older Adult Services, Children & Youth, Education, and Finance committees.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Representative Napoleon J. Nelson|url=https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/House_bio.cfm?id=1914|access-date=2022-01-29|website=The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly.|language=English}}</ref> Nelson was re-elected in 2021 with 80.7% of the vote.<ref name="re-elected 2022">{{cite news |url=https://southbendtribune.com/elections/results/race/2022-11-08-state_house-PA-39234/ |title=2022 Pennsylvania State House - District 154 Election Results |work=South Bend Tribune|date=January 26, 2023 |access-date=October 17, 2024}}</ref>

===Electoral record===

{{Election box begin no change|title=2020 Democratic primary: Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 154<ref name="ballotpedia" />}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|candidate=Napoleon Nelson|party=Democratic Party (US)|votes=7,101|percentage=39.2}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Gretchen Wisehart|votes=3,639|percentage=20.1}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Adrienne Redd|votes=2,435|percentage=13.4}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Ray Sosa|votes=1,994|percentage=11.0}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Jay Conners|votes=1,664|percentage=9.2}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Jennifer Lugar|votes=1,275|percentage=7.0}} {{Election box total no change|votes={{sum|7101|3639|2435|1994|1664|1275}}|percentage=100.0}}{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change|title=2020 general election: Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 154<ref name="ballotpedia" />}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Napoleon Nelson|votes=29,508|percentage=77.5}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Kathleen Bowers|votes=8,560|percentage=22.5}} {{Election box total no change|votes={{sum|8560|29508}}|percentage=100.0}}{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (US)}}{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change|title=2022 general election: Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 154<ref name="re-elected 2022"/>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Napoleon Nelson|votes=26,418|percentage=80.7}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Angelina Banks<ref>{{cite news |last=Wolff |first=J.D. |url=https://www.meidasplus.com/p/busted-former-republican-candidates |title=Busted! Former Republican Candidates Posed As Constituents at Trump's PA Town Hall |work=MeidasTouch |date=October 17, 2024 |access-date=October 17, 2024}}</ref> |votes=6,312|percentage=19.3}} {{Election box total no change|votes={{sum|6312|26418}}|percentage=100.0}}{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (US)}}{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change|title=2024 general election: Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 154<ref name="ballotpedia" />}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Napoleon Nelson|votes=31,179|percentage=80.1}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Thomas Estilow|votes=7,648|percentage=19.7}} {{Election box candidate no party link no change|candidate=Other/write-in|votes=91|percentage=0.2}} {{Election box total no change|votes={{sum|31179|7648|91}}|percentage=100.0}}{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (US)}}{{Election box end}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{Pennsylvania House of Representatives}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Napoleon}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni Category:Wharton School alumni Category:People from Cheltenham, Pennsylvania Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:African-American state legislators in Pennsylvania Category:Politicians from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania