Garth Everett

Everett was born on January 28, 1954 in Montoursville, Pennsylvania to parents Maxine (née Schrader) and David Everett. He graduated from Montoursville Area High School in 1972. Everett earned a ROTC scholarship to Colby College in Maine, before transferring to Pennsylvania State University after two years when the college's ROTC program was shut down.^[2] He earned a bachelor of science degree in business from Pennsylvania State University in 1976. The same year Everett joined the United States Air Force. He retired from the Air Force at the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1997. He later earned a juris doctor degree from Dickinson School of Law in 2000.^[1]

In 2006, Everett was elected to represent the 84th district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He was continuously reelected until his retirement in 2020.^[1] During his final term, Everett chaired the House State Government Committee.^[3] In his role as chair, Everett pushed for a ban on lawmakers receiving gifts from lobbyists.^[4] He also oversaw the advancement of an omnibus bill that expanded mail-in voting and voter registration and eliminated straight ticket voting.^[5]

Ahead of the 2020 United States presidential election, Everett introduced a resolution that would have established a select committee to oversee the integrity of the upcoming election.^[6] The committee would have the power to subpoena, investigate county election operations, and subsequently suggest changes to the state election code. Democrats opposed the establishment of the committee, claiming it would enable Republicans to override the election results after President Donald Trump stoked pre-election claims of ballot fraud.^[6][7] Everett's resolution to establish the committee was never voted on by the State House after the House session was postponed due to a lawmaker's COVID-19 diagnosis.^[6][8]

Everett met his wife, the former Susan S. Schultz, in high school and married her in 1976. The couple had two daughters.^[2]

Everett died in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on January 28, 2023, his 69th birthday.^[9] At the time, Everett had been fighting cancer for 18 years.^[2]