Elections in Pennsylvania |
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Elections in Pennsylvania elect the five state-level offices, the Pennsylvania General Assembly, including the senate and house of representatives, as well as the state's congressional delegation for the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Presidential elections are held every four years in Pennsylvania. Considered a swing state, it is one of the most competitive nationally, with narrow victories that alternate between the parties across all major offices. On the presidential level, the state has voted for the nationwide loser on only 10 occasions (1824, 1884, 1892, 1912, 1916, 1932, 1948, 1968, 2000, and 2004), meaning it has voted for the national winner 83% of the time, as of 2020.
In a 2020 study, Pennsylvania was ranked by the Election Law Journal as the 19th hardest state for citizens to vote in, based on registration and identification requirements, and convenience provisions. [1]
Pennsylvania's congressional delegation is composed of nine Democrats and eight Republicans, since the 2022 elections.
The five most recent House elections:
Below is a table of Pennsylvania's majority vote in the last twelve presidential elections, alongside the national electoral college results. On the presidential level, the state has voted for the nationwide loser on only 10 occasions – 1824, 1884, 1892, 1912, 1916, 1932, 1948, 1968, 2000, and 2004 – meaning it has voted for the national winner 83% of the time, as of 2020. Beginning with the 1992 election, the state has leaned Democratic, voting that way in seven of the nine elections from that year, though mostly by margins under 10 points.
Vote in Pennsylvania | National vote | ||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Candidate | Year | Candidate |
1980 | Ronald Reagan | 1980 | Ronald Reagan |
1984 | Ronald Reagan | 1984 | Ronald Reagan |
1988 | George H. W. Bush | 1988 | George H. W. Bush |
1992 | Bill Clinton | 1992 | Bill Clinton |
1996 | Bill Clinton | 1996 | Bill Clinton |
2000 | Al Gore | 2000 | George W. Bush |
2004 | John Kerry | 2004 | George W. Bush |
2008 | Barack Obama | 2008 | Barack Obama |
2012 | Barack Obama | 2012 | Barack Obama |
2016 | Donald Trump | 2016 | Donald Trump |
2020 | Joe Biden | 2020 | Joe Biden |
2024 | Donald Trump | 2024 | Donald Trump |
The five most recent elections:
The five most recent elections:
Senator Bob Casey Jr. (serving since 2007) is the first Democrat to be popularly elected as a senator by Pennsylvania voters to more than two terms. Democratic senator John Fetterman entered office in January 2023, succeeding Republican Pat Toomey who retired after two terms.
Year | Democratic | Republican |
---|---|---|
1950 | 48.3% 1,710,355 | 50.7%1,796,119 |
1954 | 53.7%1,996,266 | 46.2% 1,717,070 |
1958 | 50.8%2,024,852 | 48.9% 1,948,769 |
1962 | 44.3% 1,938,627 | 55.3%2,424,918 |
1966 | 46.1% 1,868,719 | 52.1%2,110,349 |
1970 | 55.2%2,043,029 | 41.7% 1,542,854 |
1974 | 53.7%1,878,252 | 45.1% 1,578,917 |
1978 | 46.4% 1,737,888 | 52.5%1,996,042 |
1982 | 48.1% 1,772,353 | 50.8%1,872,784 |
1986 | 50.4%1,717,484 | 48.4% 1,638,268 |
1990 | 67.7%2,065,244 | 32.4% 987,516 |
1994 | 39.9% 1,430,099 | 45.4%1,627,976 |
1998 | 31.0% 938,745 | 57.4%1,736,844 |
2002 | 53.4%1,913,235 | 44.4% 1,589,408 |
2006 | 60.3%2,470,517 | 39.6% 1,622,135 |
2010 | 45.5% 1,814,788 | 54.5%2,172,763 |
2014 | 54.9%1,920,355 | 45.1% 1,575,511 |
2018 | 57.8%2,850,210 | 40.7% 2,015,266 |
2022 | 56.5%3,031,137 | 41.7% 2,238,477 |
The ten most recent elections:
Democrats and Republicans have alternated in the governorship of Pennsylvania every eight years from 1950 to 2010. [3] This has been referred to as "the cycle", [4] [5] but it was broken with a Democratic Party win in 2014. Pennsylvania has also voted against the party of the sitting president in 19 of the last 21 gubernatorial contests dating back to 1938; Democrats lost 16 of the previous 18 Pennsylvania gubernatorial races with a Democratic president in the White House, a pattern begun in 1860. [6]
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is a bicameral legislature, consisting of the Pennsylvania State Senate (the upper house) and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (lower house). Members of the state house serve for 2 year terms, while the term for the state senate is 4 years. There are no limits on the amount of terms that members of the state legislature can serve. Republicans controlled the state House for all but four years from 1995 until 2023, and they have controlled the state Senate uninterrupted since 1993.
The five most recent elections:
The five most recent elections:
From the time of the Great Depression through the 1990s, the politics of West Virginia were largely dominated by the Democratic Party. In the 2000 presidential election, George W. Bush claimed a surprise victory over Al Gore, with 52% of the vote; he won West Virginia again in 2004, with 56% of the vote. West Virginia is now a heavily Republican state, with John McCain winning the state in 2008, Mitt Romney in 2012 and Donald Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024.
Split-ticket voting or ticket splitting is when a voter in an election votes for candidates from different political parties when multiple offices are being decided by a single election, as opposed to straight-ticket voting, where a voter chooses candidates from the same political party for every office up for election. Split-ticket voting can occur in certain mixed-member systems which allow for it, such as mixed-member proportional and parallel voting systems.
Elections in California are held to fill various local, state and federal seats. In California, regular elections are held every even year ; however, some seats have terms of office that are longer than two years, so not every seat is on the ballot in every election. Special elections may be held to fill vacancies at other points in time. Recall elections can also be held. Additionally, statewide initiatives, legislative referrals and referendums may be on the ballot.
The results of elections in the state of New York have tended to be more Democratic-leaning than in most of the United States, with in recent decades a solid majority of Democratic voters, concentrated in New York City and some of its suburbs, including Westchester County, Rockland County and Long Island's Nassau county, and in the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and Ithaca.
Pennsylvania is generally considered a swing state that leans slightly left. Throughout its entire history, it voted for the nationwide loser on only 10 occasions, meaning it has voted for the national winner 83% of the time as of 2024. Although, it generally supported Republicans between the Civil War and New Deal eras, as it voted Republican in every election between 1860 and 1932, except for 1912, when the Republican vote was split. Even then, the state's strong Republican ties meant that it backed Republican-turned-Progressive Theodore Roosevelt. The state backed a Democrat in 1936 for the first time since 1856. Pennsylvania generally leaned Democratic since the 1990s, as it backed the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1992 except in 2016 and 2024, when it was won by Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Elections in the U.S. state of New Hampshire are held at national, state and local level. The state holds the first presidential primary in the national cycle. Elections for a range of state positions coincide with biennial elections for the House of Representatives.
Elections in Oregon are all held using a Vote by Mail (VBM) system. This means that all registered voters receive their ballots via postal delivery and can vote from their homes. A state Voters’ Pamphlet is mailed to every household in Oregon about three weeks before each statewide election. It includes information about each measure and candidate in the upcoming election.
The number of elections in Alaska varies by year, but typically municipal elections occur every year, plus primary and general elections for federal and state offices occur during even-numbered years. Alaska has a gubernatorial election every four years. Members of the state's United States congressional delegation run for election or re-election at the times set out in the United States Constitution. Primary elections assist in choosing political parties' nominees for various positions. On a regional basis, elections also cover municipal issues. In addition, a special election can occur at any time.
Elections in Wisconsin are held to fill various local, state, and federal seats. Special elections may be held to fill vacancies at other points in time.
Elections in Vermont are authorized under Chapter II of the Vermont State Constitution, articles 43–49, which establishes elections for the state level officers, cabinet, and legislature. Articles 50–53 establish the election of county-level officers.
Elections in Utah are held to fill various local, state, and federal seats. Special elections may be held to fill vacancies at other points in time.
Various kinds of elections in Connecticut occurs annually in each of the state's cities and towns, the exact type of which is dependent on the year. Elections for federal and statewide offices occur in even-numbered years, while municipal elections occur in odd-numbered ones. The office of the Connecticut Secretary of State oversees the election process, including voting and vote counting. In a 2020 study, Connecticut was ranked as the 20th easiest state for citizens to vote in.
Some type of election in Idaho occurs annually in each of the state's cities and towns, the exact type of which is dependent on the year. Elections for federal and statewide offices occur in even-numbered years, while municipal elections occur in odd-numbered years.
Montana became a territory May 28, 1864 and the first delegation created nine counties: Beaverhead, Big Horn, Chouteau, Deer Lodge, Gallatin, Jefferson, Edgerton, Madison, and Missoula. Montana became a state on November 8, 1889.
The following is a list of federal, state, and local elections in the U.S. state of Maryland and can refer to one of the following elections:
The number of elections in Arkansas varies by year, but usually municipal elections occur every year, plus primary and general elections for federal and state offices occur during even-numbered years.
Elections in Tennessee are held to fill various local, state, and federal seats. Special elections may be held to fill vacancies at other points in time. Statewide legislative referrals and referendums may also be on the ballot in some elections. Tennessee is one of thirteen states that holds its presidential primaries on Super Tuesday.
This is a list of elections in the U.S. state of Nevada. Nevada is a swing state in state and federal elections, with margins that typically are under five percent. Unique to the state is the "None of These Candidates" voting option for all statewide and presidential and vice-presidential election ballots. This option is listed along with the names of individuals running for the position and is often described as "none of the above". The option first appeared on the Nevada ballot in 1975.
The U.S. state of Wyoming is known for its reliably conservative politics and heavy support for the Republican Party, particularly in federal elections.
Elections in the U.S. state of Kentucky are held regularly. Politics in Kentucky has historically been very competitive. The state leaned toward the Democratic Party during the 1860s after the Whig Party dissolved. During the Civil War, the southeastern part of the state aligned with the Union and tended to support Republican candidates thereafter, while the central and western portions remained heavily Democratic even into the following decades. Kentucky would be part of the Democratic Solid South until the mid-20th century.
State legislation related to the administration of elections introduced in 2011 through this year, 2020