Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District special election, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 2
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: No
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
2018 →
← 2016
|
| Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District special |
|---|
 |
| General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: N/A |
| Primary: N/A General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent: Vacant |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Pennsylvania |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018 |
| See also |
Pennsylvania elections, 2018 U.S. Congress elections, 2018 U.S. Senate elections, 2018 U.S. House elections, 2018 |
The 7th Congressional District of Pennsylvania held a special election for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018. The election coincided with the regular 2018 election on November 6, 2018. The winner of the special election served in Congress until Patrick Meehan's (R) term expired on January 1, 2019.[1]
On February 19, 2018, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court adopted a new congressional district map after ruling that the original map constituted an illegal partisan gerrymander. District locations and numbers were changed by the new map. Candidates on this page were listed under Pennsylvania’s new districts, which were used in the 2018 congressional elections. Click here for more information about the ruling. The special election for the 7th Congressional District was held under the old congressional maps.
For more on regularly scheduled elections in 2018, please see:
Candidates and election results
General election
Special general election for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 7
Mary Gay Scanlon defeated Pearl Kim, Sandra Salas, and Brianna Johnston in the special general election for U.S. House Pennsylvania District 7 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Mary Gay Scanlon (D) | 52.3 | 173,268 | |
| Pearl Kim (R) | 46.0 | 152,503 | ||
| Sandra Salas (L) | 1.0 | 3,177 | ||
| Brianna Johnston (G) | 0.8 | 2,511 | ||
| Total votes: 331,459 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
District history
2016
Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Patrick Meehan (R) defeated Mary Ellen Balchunis (D) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Meehan defeated Stan Casacio in the Republican primary, while Balchunis defeated Bill Golderer to win the Democratic nomination. The primary elections took place on April 26, 2016.[2][3]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Patrick Meehan Incumbent |
59.5% | 225,678 | |
| Democratic | Mary Ellen Balchunis | 40.5% | 153,824 | |
| Total Votes | 379,502 | |||
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State | ||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mary Ellen Balchunis |
74% | 52,792 | ||
| Bill Golderer | 26% | 18,509 | ||
| Total Votes | 71,301 | |||
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State |
||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Patrick Meehan Incumbent |
76.4% | 86,178 | ||
| Stan Casacio | 23.6% | 26,674 | ||
| Total Votes | 112,852 | |||
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State |
||||
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Three of 67 Pennsylvania counties—4.5 percent—are pivot counties. These are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 pivot counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Erie County, Pennsylvania | 1.56% | 16.03% | 19.88% | ||||
| Luzerne County, Pennsylvania | 19.31% | 4.81% | 8.41% | ||||
| Northampton County, Pennsylvania | 3.78% | 4.71% | 12.30% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Pennsylvania with 48.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 47.5 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Pennsylvania cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 76.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Pennsylvania supported Republican candidates for president more often than Democratic candidates, 53.3 to 43.3 percent. The state, however, favored Democrats in every presidential election between 2000 and 2012, but voted Republican in 2016.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Pennsylvania. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[4][5]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 89 out of 203 state House districts in Pennsylvania with an average margin of victory of 37.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 84 out of 203 state House districts in Pennsylvania with an average margin of victory of 37.3 points. Clinton won 19 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 114 out of 203 state House districts in Pennsylvania with an average margin of victory of 20 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 119 out of 203 state House districts in Pennsylvania with an average margin of victory of 28.2 points. Trump won 17 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 Presidential Results by state House District ' | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 74.23% | 24.51% | D+49.7 | 62.96% | 33.11% | D+29.8 | D |
| 2 | 64.16% | 34.60% | D+29.6 | 54.43% | 40.91% | D+13.5 | D |
| 3 | 52.42% | 46.30% | D+6.1 | 45.74% | 49.76% | R+4 | D |
| 4 | 47.98% | 50.56% | R+2.6 | 34.90% | 60.52% | R+25.6 | R |
| 5 | 39.20% | 59.23% | R+20 | 30.95% | 64.64% | R+33.7 | R |
| 6 | 41.46% | 56.84% | R+15.4 | 33.98% | 61.68% | R+27.7 | R |
| 7 | 58.14% | 40.56% | D+17.6 | 44.84% | 51.68% | R+6.8 | D |
| 8 | 31.90% | 66.60% | R+34.7 | 24.28% | 71.25% | R+47 | R |
| 9 | 47.63% | 51.12% | R+3.5 | 36.69% | 60.36% | R+23.7 | D |
| 10 | 45.01% | 53.45% | R+8.4 | 35.93% | 59.86% | R+23.9 | R |
| 11 | 34.69% | 63.96% | R+29.3 | 28.50% | 66.88% | R+38.4 | R |
| 12 | 29.48% | 69.55% | R+40.1 | 31.88% | 64.41% | R+32.5 | R |
| 13 | 43.63% | 55.27% | R+11.6 | 42.73% | 53.04% | R+10.3 | R |
| 14 | 38.01% | 60.67% | R+22.7 | 32.28% | 64.15% | R+31.9 | R |
| 15 | 37.23% | 61.54% | R+24.3 | 31.00% | 65.48% | R+34.5 | R |
| 16 | 53.92% | 44.73% | D+9.2 | 46.00% | 50.52% | R+4.5 | D |
| 17 | 42.32% | 56.30% | R+14 | 29.47% | 66.56% | R+37.1 | R |
| 18 | 57.88% | 40.91% | D+17 | 52.85% | 44.12% | D+8.7 | R |
| 19 | 86.11% | 12.84% | D+73.3 | 83.38% | 13.65% | D+69.7 | D |
| 20 | 61.01% | 37.46% | D+23.6 | 60.52% | 34.84% | D+25.7 | D |
| 21 | 57.83% | 40.46% | D+17.4 | 59.05% | 36.62% | D+22.4 | D |
| 22 | 76.43% | 22.64% | D+53.8 | 72.60% | 24.54% | D+48.1 | D |
| 23 | 73.62% | 24.04% | D+49.6 | 80.06% | 16.36% | D+63.7 | D |
| 24 | 90.72% | 8.31% | D+82.4 | 90.51% | 7.00% | D+83.5 | D |
| 25 | 51.85% | 47.12% | D+4.7 | 50.07% | 46.87% | D+3.2 | D |
| 26 | 45.47% | 53.34% | R+7.9 | 43.50% | 52.49% | R+9 | R |
| 27 | 63.70% | 34.87% | D+28.8 | 60.79% | 35.34% | D+25.5 | D |
| 28 | 36.63% | 62.52% | R+25.9 | 43.46% | 52.61% | R+9.2 | R |
| 29 | 45.87% | 53.06% | R+7.2 | 46.10% | 50.52% | R+4.4 | R |
| 30 | 40.91% | 58.24% | R+17.3 | 44.48% | 51.61% | R+7.1 | R |
| 31 | 50.76% | 48.04% | D+2.7 | 55.20% | 41.17% | D+14 | D |
| 32 | 60.05% | 38.99% | D+21.1 | 59.16% | 37.83% | D+21.3 | D |
| 33 | 49.03% | 49.75% | R+0.7 | 45.55% | 50.80% | R+5.3 | D |
| 34 | 68.62% | 30.16% | D+38.5 | 68.78% | 28.17% | D+40.6 | D |
| 35 | 63.94% | 35.20% | D+28.7 | 57.89% | 39.41% | D+18.5 | D |
| 36 | 60.88% | 37.46% | D+23.4 | 56.42% | 39.30% | D+17.1 | D |
| 37 | 28.95% | 69.66% | R+40.7 | 26.19% | 69.00% | R+42.8 | R |
| 38 | 50.42% | 48.41% | D+2 | 46.28% | 50.58% | R+4.3 | D |
| 39 | 40.59% | 58.52% | R+17.9 | 36.49% | 60.37% | R+23.9 | R |
| 40 | 36.83% | 62.34% | R+25.5 | 41.12% | 55.57% | R+14.4 | R |
| 41 | 42.46% | 56.09% | R+13.6 | 41.74% | 53.32% | R+11.6 | R |
| 42 | 55.31% | 43.47% | D+11.8 | 60.20% | 35.63% | D+24.6 | D |
| 43 | 36.53% | 62.17% | R+25.6 | 36.27% | 58.57% | R+22.3 | R |
| 44 | 41.51% | 57.51% | R+16 | 43.16% | 53.29% | R+10.1 | R |
| 45 | 51.33% | 47.58% | D+3.7 | 49.81% | 46.66% | D+3.2 | D |
| 46 | 44.33% | 54.63% | R+10.3 | 39.68% | 56.72% | R+17 | R |
| 47 | 40.06% | 58.68% | R+18.6 | 34.74% | 60.75% | R+26 | R |
| 48 | 45.49% | 53.23% | R+7.7 | 40.70% | 55.39% | R+14.7 | D |
| 49 | 49.95% | 48.61% | D+1.3 | 37.74% | 58.75% | R+21 | R |
| 50 | 46.33% | 52.50% | R+6.2 | 33.66% | 63.80% | R+30.1 | D |
| 51 | 41.10% | 57.87% | R+16.8 | 30.84% | 66.70% | R+35.9 | R |
| 52 | 40.85% | 57.93% | R+17.1 | 30.15% | 67.36% | R+37.2 | R |
| 53 | 48.81% | 49.75% | R+0.9 | 48.69% | 46.74% | D+2 | R |
| 54 | 36.11% | 62.89% | R+26.8 | 34.91% | 61.80% | R+26.9 | R |
| 55 | 39.89% | 58.83% | R+18.9 | 31.43% | 65.24% | R+33.8 | D |
| 56 | 34.08% | 64.90% | R+30.8 | 31.32% | 65.45% | R+34.1 | R |
| 57 | 36.37% | 62.35% | R+26 | 33.60% | 62.73% | R+29.1 | R |
| 58 | 43.41% | 55.41% | R+12 | 34.02% | 63.22% | R+29.2 | R |
| 59 | 31.93% | 66.81% | R+34.9 | 26.42% | 70.50% | R+44.1 | R |
| 60 | 30.82% | 67.77% | R+37 | 24.08% | 72.85% | R+48.8 | R |
| 61 | 51.45% | 47.61% | D+3.8 | 56.68% | 39.73% | D+16.9 | R |
| 62 | 43.10% | 55.21% | R+12.1 | 34.47% | 61.69% | R+27.2 | R |
| 63 | 29.59% | 68.69% | R+39.1 | 22.17% | 74.25% | R+52.1 | R |
| 64 | 34.96% | 63.20% | R+28.2 | 26.01% | 69.72% | R+43.7 | R |
| 65 | 39.55% | 58.80% | R+19.3 | 27.22% | 68.57% | R+41.4 | R |
| 66 | 27.05% | 71.53% | R+44.5 | 18.49% | 78.42% | R+59.9 | R |
| 67 | 32.35% | 65.98% | R+33.6 | 22.32% | 74.12% | R+51.8 | R |
| 68 | 31.27% | 66.99% | R+35.7 | 20.98% | 74.62% | R+53.6 | R |
| 69 | 25.99% | 72.68% | R+46.7 | 18.90% | 78.57% | R+59.7 | R |
| 70 | 63.08% | 35.97% | D+27.1 | 63.15% | 33.72% | D+29.4 | D |
| 71 | 42.84% | 55.39% | R+12.5 | 34.58% | 62.24% | R+27.7 | D |
| 72 | 37.01% | 61.10% | R+24.1 | 26.49% | 70.36% | R+43.9 | D |
| 73 | 38.10% | 60.27% | R+22.2 | 24.79% | 72.19% | R+47.4 | R |
| 74 | 62.76% | 36.10% | D+26.7 | 60.37% | 35.55% | D+24.8 | R |
| 75 | 36.38% | 62.06% | R+25.7 | 24.79% | 71.59% | R+46.8 | R |
| 76 | 39.88% | 58.53% | R+18.6 | 29.08% | 67.03% | R+37.9 | D |
| 77 | 59.83% | 37.36% | D+22.5 | 60.78% | 33.56% | D+27.2 | D |
| 78 | 22.54% | 76.40% | R+53.9 | 16.03% | 81.71% | R+65.7 | R |
| 79 | 39.22% | 59.27% | R+20 | 30.70% | 65.55% | R+34.9 | R |
| 80 | 26.47% | 72.45% | R+46 | 20.96% | 76.10% | R+55.1 | R |
| 81 | 35.33% | 63.30% | R+28 | 30.25% | 66.04% | R+35.8 | R |
| 82 | 26.74% | 72.05% | R+45.3 | 19.62% | 77.01% | R+57.4 | R |
| 83 | 38.82% | 59.70% | R+20.9 | 32.82% | 62.88% | R+30.1 | R |
| 84 | 26.66% | 72.04% | R+45.4 | 18.99% | 77.66% | R+58.7 | R |
| 85 | 35.45% | 62.97% | R+27.5 | 31.55% | 64.64% | R+33.1 | R |
| 86 | 33.17% | 65.18% | R+32 | 25.57% | 69.93% | R+44.4 | R |
| 87 | 41.20% | 57.38% | R+16.2 | 41.82% | 53.91% | R+12.1 | R |
| 88 | 41.23% | 57.13% | R+15.9 | 41.39% | 53.53% | R+12.1 | R |
| 89 | 34.19% | 64.52% | R+30.3 | 29.92% | 66.31% | R+36.4 | R |
| 90 | 28.09% | 70.61% | R+42.5 | 22.85% | 73.48% | R+50.6 | R |
| 91 | 37.65% | 60.93% | R+23.3 | 32.20% | 63.86% | R+31.7 | R |
| 92 | 31.91% | 66.77% | R+34.9 | 28.03% | 67.52% | R+39.5 | R |
| 93 | 34.53% | 63.91% | R+29.4 | 31.05% | 64.67% | R+33.6 | R |
| 94 | 35.78% | 62.70% | R+26.9 | 28.86% | 66.88% | R+38 | R |
| 95 | 65.14% | 33.21% | D+31.9 | 61.43% | 33.92% | D+27.5 | D |
| 96 | 74.86% | 23.26% | D+51.6 | 73.28% | 21.55% | D+51.7 | D |
| 97 | 40.15% | 58.50% | R+18.4 | 42.36% | 52.82% | R+10.5 | R |
| 98 | 37.73% | 60.63% | R+22.9 | 32.52% | 61.78% | R+29.3 | R |
| 99 | 28.97% | 69.60% | R+40.6 | 25.97% | 68.75% | R+42.8 | R |
| 100 | 34.03% | 64.51% | R+30.5 | 28.29% | 67.35% | R+39.1 | R |
| 101 | 39.74% | 58.92% | R+19.2 | 37.40% | 58.74% | R+21.3 | R |
| 102 | 31.56% | 66.91% | R+35.3 | 24.88% | 71.23% | R+46.3 | R |
| 103 | 81.25% | 17.74% | D+63.5 | 78.28% | 18.44% | D+59.8 | D |
| 104 | 46.98% | 51.71% | R+4.7 | 42.83% | 53.30% | R+10.5 | R |
| 105 | 45.32% | 53.34% | R+8 | 44.00% | 51.91% | R+7.9 | R |
| 106 | 43.98% | 54.60% | R+10.6 | 43.80% | 51.46% | R+7.7 | R |
| 107 | 42.37% | 55.71% | R+13.3 | 28.98% | 66.96% | R+38 | R |
| 108 | 34.84% | 63.47% | R+28.6 | 26.52% | 69.44% | R+42.9 | R |
| 109 | 42.93% | 55.31% | R+12.4 | 32.18% | 63.26% | R+31.1 | R |
| 110 | 38.40% | 59.80% | R+21.4 | 25.85% | 69.59% | R+43.7 | R |
| 111 | 39.36% | 59.14% | R+19.8 | 28.62% | 67.57% | R+39 | R |
| 112 | 69.10% | 29.74% | D+39.4 | 55.53% | 41.46% | D+14.1 | D |
| 113 | 67.49% | 31.46% | D+36 | 56.83% | 40.31% | D+16.5 | D |
| 114 | 58.64% | 40.26% | D+18.4 | 44.66% | 52.39% | R+7.7 | D |
| 115 | 64.27% | 34.56% | D+29.7 | 58.15% | 38.28% | D+19.9 | D |
| 116 | 40.79% | 57.87% | R+17.1 | 31.33% | 66.07% | R+34.7 | R |
| 117 | 41.83% | 56.50% | R+14.7 | 30.66% | 66.00% | R+35.3 | R |
| 118 | 55.83% | 43.08% | D+12.8 | 40.74% | 56.46% | R+15.7 | D |
| 119 | 51.23% | 47.10% | D+4.1 | 35.40% | 61.77% | R+26.4 | D |
| 120 | 53.79% | 44.76% | D+9 | 42.55% | 54.62% | R+12.1 | R |
| 121 | 61.17% | 37.18% | D+24 | 47.71% | 48.91% | R+1.2 | D |
| 122 | 44.86% | 53.22% | R+8.4 | 30.76% | 65.46% | R+34.7 | R |
| 123 | 51.65% | 46.75% | D+4.9 | 31.73% | 65.03% | R+33.3 | D |
| 124 | 37.56% | 60.67% | R+23.1 | 25.51% | 70.74% | R+45.2 | R |
| 125 | 36.51% | 62.03% | R+25.5 | 23.43% | 72.95% | R+49.5 | R |
| 126 | 63.45% | 34.97% | D+28.5 | 57.62% | 38.36% | D+19.3 | D |
| 127 | 80.68% | 18.33% | D+62.4 | 77.08% | 19.95% | D+57.1 | D |
| 128 | 41.43% | 57.06% | R+15.6 | 38.02% | 57.47% | R+19.5 | R |
| 129 | 41.67% | 56.89% | R+15.2 | 37.61% | 57.86% | R+20.3 | R |
| 130 | 42.78% | 55.70% | R+12.9 | 35.25% | 60.10% | R+24.9 | R |
| 131 | 44.49% | 54.03% | R+9.5 | 41.91% | 53.76% | R+11.9 | R |
| 132 | 65.53% | 33.25% | D+32.3 | 64.10% | 32.82% | D+31.3 | D |
| 133 | 59.02% | 39.41% | D+19.6 | 52.89% | 42.75% | D+10.1 | D |
| 134 | 43.39% | 55.42% | R+12 | 41.92% | 54.04% | R+12.1 | R |
| 135 | 64.54% | 34.06% | D+30.5 | 61.91% | 34.09% | D+27.8 | D |
| 136 | 59.36% | 39.16% | D+20.2 | 53.35% | 42.48% | D+10.9 | D |
| 137 | 46.66% | 52.14% | R+5.5 | 40.33% | 56.02% | R+15.7 | R |
| 138 | 43.63% | 55.31% | R+11.7 | 39.52% | 56.92% | R+17.4 | R |
| 139 | 39.33% | 59.34% | R+20 | 30.73% | 66.15% | R+35.4 | R |
| 140 | 63.59% | 35.05% | D+28.5 | 54.38% | 41.60% | D+12.8 | D |
| 141 | 62.97% | 35.53% | D+27.4 | 52.82% | 43.31% | D+9.5 | D |
| 142 | 49.07% | 49.78% | R+0.7 | 46.32% | 50.25% | R+3.9 | R |
| 143 | 45.51% | 53.19% | R+7.7 | 47.61% | 48.14% | R+0.5 | R |
| 144 | 44.70% | 54.17% | R+9.5 | 45.34% | 50.70% | R+5.4 | R |
| 145 | 44.16% | 54.36% | R+10.2 | 39.59% | 55.70% | R+16.1 | R |
| 146 | 50.85% | 47.96% | D+2.9 | 48.37% | 47.29% | D+1.1 | R |
| 147 | 43.65% | 54.97% | R+11.3 | 41.16% | 54.54% | R+13.4 | R |
| 148 | 60.73% | 38.33% | D+22.4 | 67.12% | 29.75% | D+37.4 | D |
| 149 | 60.45% | 38.56% | D+21.9 | 66.82% | 29.98% | D+36.8 | D |
| 150 | 49.69% | 49.13% | D+0.6 | 51.73% | 44.27% | D+7.5 | R |
| 151 | 50.81% | 48.28% | D+2.5 | 55.25% | 41.23% | D+14 | R |
| 152 | 52.27% | 46.64% | D+5.6 | 54.58% | 41.63% | D+12.9 | R |
| 153 | 63.65% | 35.32% | D+28.3 | 66.36% | 30.20% | D+36.2 | D |
| 154 | 74.52% | 24.59% | D+49.9 | 77.91% | 19.15% | D+58.8 | D |
| 155 | 47.56% | 51.25% | R+3.7 | 51.80% | 43.97% | D+7.8 | R |
| 156 | 49.44% | 49.46% | R+0 | 54.28% | 41.62% | D+12.7 | D |
| 157 | 52.13% | 46.72% | D+5.4 | 58.80% | 37.01% | D+21.8 | R |
| 158 | 48.38% | 50.45% | R+2.1 | 52.99% | 42.96% | D+10 | R |
| 159 | 83.68% | 15.63% | D+68 | 77.53% | 20.25% | D+57.3 | D |
| 160 | 46.71% | 52.30% | R+5.6 | 49.20% | 47.16% | D+2 | R |
| 161 | 55.77% | 43.14% | D+12.6 | 53.41% | 43.19% | D+10.2 | D |
| 162 | 57.37% | 41.38% | D+16 | 49.64% | 46.80% | D+2.8 | R |
| 163 | 55.33% | 43.45% | D+11.9 | 54.70% | 41.57% | D+13.1 | R |
| 164 | 82.20% | 16.96% | D+65.2 | 81.93% | 15.75% | D+66.2 | D |
| 165 | 48.98% | 50.02% | R+1 | 51.81% | 44.91% | D+6.9 | R |
| 166 | 61.53% | 37.33% | D+24.2 | 67.49% | 28.93% | D+38.6 | D |
| 167 | 48.42% | 50.53% | R+2.1 | 55.67% | 40.48% | D+15.2 | R |
| 168 | 47.78% | 51.08% | R+3.3 | 51.51% | 44.79% | D+6.7 | R |
| 169 | 34.04% | 64.45% | R+30.4 | 27.83% | 67.92% | R+40.1 | R |
| 170 | 56.95% | 42.17% | D+14.8 | 49.20% | 48.35% | D+0.9 | R |
| 171 | 40.68% | 57.64% | R+17 | 39.86% | 55.53% | R+15.7 | R |
| 172 | 59.28% | 39.77% | D+19.5 | 55.26% | 41.93% | D+13.3 | D |
| 173 | 64.49% | 34.35% | D+30.1 | 56.90% | 40.57% | D+16.3 | D |
| 174 | 61.67% | 37.38% | D+24.3 | 57.06% | 40.39% | D+16.7 | D |
| 175 | 79.87% | 18.59% | D+61.3 | 81.59% | 15.10% | D+66.5 | D |
| 176 | 50.90% | 47.71% | D+3.2 | 41.51% | 54.94% | R+13.4 | R |
| 177 | 65.38% | 33.22% | D+32.2 | 56.98% | 39.92% | D+17.1 | R |
| 178 | 42.85% | 56.21% | R+13.4 | 46.82% | 50.00% | R+3.2 | R |
| 179 | 92.03% | 7.63% | D+84.4 | 89.49% | 8.95% | D+80.5 | D |
| 180 | 91.88% | 7.78% | D+84.1 | 90.18% | 8.68% | D+81.5 | D |
| 181 | 94.57% | 4.54% | D+90 | 92.34% | 5.28% | D+87.1 | D |
| 182 | 80.77% | 17.83% | D+62.9 | 85.13% | 12.25% | D+72.9 | D |
| 183 | 46.31% | 52.33% | R+6 | 37.34% | 58.86% | R+21.5 | R |
| 184 | 74.15% | 24.62% | D+49.5 | 68.00% | 29.12% | D+38.9 | D |
| 185 | 81.50% | 18.03% | D+63.5 | 77.31% | 21.01% | D+56.3 | D |
| 186 | 92.45% | 6.89% | D+85.6 | 90.67% | 7.27% | D+83.4 | D |
| 187 | 41.65% | 56.98% | R+15.3 | 39.49% | 56.43% | R+16.9 | R |
| 188 | 92.78% | 5.93% | D+86.9 | 93.67% | 3.86% | D+89.8 | D |
| 189 | 52.75% | 45.91% | D+6.8 | 45.71% | 51.06% | R+5.4 | R |
| 190 | 97.49% | 2.19% | D+95.3 | 95.73% | 2.77% | D+93 | D |
| 191 | 97.46% | 2.39% | D+95.1 | 95.90% | 3.11% | D+92.8 | D |
| 192 | 96.72% | 3.08% | D+93.6 | 95.06% | 3.68% | D+91.4 | D |
| 193 | 32.78% | 65.92% | R+33.1 | 27.49% | 68.67% | R+41.2 | R |
| 194 | 70.09% | 28.46% | D+41.6 | 72.03% | 24.29% | D+47.7 | D |
| 195 | 92.86% | 6.25% | D+86.6 | 92.54% | 5.33% | D+87.2 | D |
| 196 | 35.76% | 62.90% | R+27.1 | 28.34% | 67.63% | R+39.3 | R |
| 197 | 97.04% | 2.75% | D+94.3 | 95.62% | 3.52% | D+92.1 | D |
| 198 | 97.73% | 1.99% | D+95.7 | 96.12% | 2.54% | D+93.6 | D |
| 199 | 39.71% | 58.82% | R+19.1 | 37.16% | 58.63% | R+21.5 | R |
| 200 | 94.69% | 4.79% | D+89.9 | 94.29% | 3.97% | D+90.3 | D |
| 201 | 98.24% | 1.52% | D+96.7 | 96.47% | 2.17% | D+94.3 | D |
| 202 | 80.92% | 18.39% | D+62.5 | 78.97% | 19.01% | D+60 | D |
| 203 | 96.00% | 3.80% | D+92.2 | 94.44% | 4.23% | D+90.2 | D |
| Total | 52.08% | 46.68% | D+5.4 | 47.85% | 48.58% | R+0.7 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Pennsylvania heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- Following the 2016 elections, Democrats and Republicans each held one U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania.
- Republicans held 12 of 17 U.S. House seats in Pennsylvania.
State executives
- As of May 2018, Democrats held five of 11 state executive positions, while six were held by nonpartisan officials.
- The governor of Pennsylvania was Democrat Tom Wolf.
State legislature
- Republicans controlled both chambers of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. They had a 120-79 majority in the state House and a 33-16 majority in the state Senate.
Trifecta status
- Pennsylvania was under divided government, meaning that the two parties shared control of the state government. Tom Wolf (D) served as governor, while Republicans controlled the state legislature.
2018 elections
- See also: Pennsylvania elections, 2018
Pennsylvania held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- One U.S. Senate seat
- 18 U.S. House seats
- Governor and lieutenant governor
- 25 of 50 state Senate seats
- 203 state House seats
Demographics
| Demographic data for Pennsylvania | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 12,791,904 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 44,743 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 81.6% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 11% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 3.1% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.1% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 6.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 89.2% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 28.6% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $53,599 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 15.9% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Pennsylvania. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
As of July 2017, Pennsylvania had a population of approximately 12,800,000 people, with its three largest cities being Philadelphia (pop. est. 1.6 million), Pittsburgh (pop. est. 300,000), and Allentown (pop. est. 120,000).[6][7]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Pennsylvania Department of State.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Pennsylvania every year from 2000 to 2016.
| Election results (President of the United States), Pennsylvania 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | 48.6% | 47.9% | 0.7% | ||
| 2012 | 52.1% | 46.7% | 5.4% | ||
| 2008 | 54.7% | 44.3% | 10.4% | ||
| 2004 | 51.0% | 48.5% | 2.5% | ||
| 2000 | 50.6% | 46.4% | 4.2% | ||
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
| Election results (U.S. Senator), Pennsylvania 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | 48.8% | 47.3% | 1.5% | ||
| 2012 | 53.7% | 44.6% | 9.1% | ||
| 2010 | 51.0% | 49.0% | 2.0% | ||
| 2006 | 58.7% | 41.3% | 17.4% | ||
| 2004 | 52.6% | 42.0% | 10.6% | ||
| 2000 | 52.4% | 45.5% | 6.9% | ||
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Pennsylvania.
| Election results (Governor), Pennsylvania 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014 | 54.9% | 45.1% | 9.8% | ||
| 2010 | 54.5% | 45.5% | 9.0% | ||
| 2006 | 60.4% | 39.6% | 20.8% | ||
| 2002 | 53.4% | 44.3% | 9.1% | ||
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
| Congressional delegation, Pennsylvania 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Republicans | Republicans (%) | Democrats | Democrats (%) | Balance of power |
| 2016 | 72.2% | 27.8% | R+8 | ||
| 2014 | 72.2% | 27.8% | R+8 | ||
| 2012 | 72.2% | 27.8% | R+8 | ||
| 2010 | 63.2% | 36.8% | R+5 | ||
| 2008 | 36.8% | 63.2% | D+5 | ||
| 2006 | 42.1% | 57.9% | D+3 | ||
| 2004 | 63.2% | 36.8% | R+5 | ||
| 2002 | 63.2% | 36.8% | R+5 | ||
| 2000 | 52.4% | 47.6% | R+1 | ||
Trifectas, 1992-2017
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
Pennsylvania Party Control: 1992-2025
One year of a Democratic trifecta • Twelve years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | _ |
See also
- Special elections to the 115th United States Congress (2017-2018)
- Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District
- Patrick Meehan
Footnotes
- ↑ The Morning Call, "Governor sets election date for replacing U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent," May 2, 2018
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Unofficial Candidate Listing – Pre Ballot Lottery," accessed February 17, 2016
- ↑ The New York Times, "Pennsylvania Primary Results," April 26, 2016
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "Quick Facts - Pennsylvania," accessed January 3, 2018
- ↑ Pennsylvania Demographics, "Pennsylvania Cities by Population," accessed January 3, 2018