How the Philly Region Became More Important for Democrats — and Less Important for Republicans

In 1998, one in three registered Democrats and one in three registered Republicans lived in Philadelphia or its four suburban counties. Since then, the region has grown as a share of the state’s Democratic registrations and fallen as a source of Republican registrations.

Today, the region makes up 40% of Pennsylvania’s Democratic registrations — and 25% of Republican ones.

Numbers show the percentage of Pennsylvania voters in each party who live in Philadelphia or Bucks, Chester, Delaware, or Montgomery Counties. Numbers for 2020 are for the June 2 primary; all other years use November election data.
Chart: JONATHAN LAI Source: Pennsylvania Department of State