More Democrats than Republicans are changing affiliation to the opposing party

Torin Sweeney, Erie Times-News
·4 min read
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Pennsylvania has long been considered a swing state when it comes to presidential elections. Democrats have the advantage in the total number of registered voters, but that margin is shrinking. That's partially fueled by the fact that more Democrats are changing their party affiliation to Republican than vice versa.

As of Jan. 24, there were 4,014,563 registered Democratic voters in Pennsylvania and 3,423,455 registered Republican voters. That puts the gap at 591,108, a little more than half a million voters, according to a state report.

That margin is down from 2020, when Democrats had 666,202 more registered voters than Republicans, and 2016, when Democrats led by a margin of 892,624 voters.

As the gap shrinks, more Democrats are joining the Republican Party than the other way around. Since 2008, 536,696 Democrats have become Republicans, while 326,940 Republicans went the other way, according to state data.

PA party affiliation switch by Robbie Gutierrez

Only three counties bucked the trend over that time period: Chester, Delaware and Montg.

In 2020, the year of the last presidential election, 81,809 Democrats became Republicans and 49,154 Republicans switched parties.

When Donald Trump was elected president in 2016, twice as many Democrats switched parties than Republicans, 113,870 to 47,585.

Below is a look at county data for party affiliation change since 2008, as well as in the years in which the last two presidential elections took place.

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Adams County

Between 2008 and 2021, 3,545 Democrats changed their party affiliation to Republican and 1,938 Republicans became Democrats.

  • 2020: 504 Democrat to Republican; 293 Republican to Democrat

  • 2016: 772 Democrat to Republican; 309 Republican to Democrat

Beaver County

Between 2008 and 2021, 10,077 Democrats changed their party affiliation to Republican and 2,990 Republicans became Democrats.

  • 2020: 1,898 Democrat to Republican; 444 Republican to Democrat

  • 2016: 2,177 Democrat to Republican; 428 Republican to Democrat

Bucks County

Between 2008 and 2021, 27,416 Democrats changed their party affiliation to Republican and 20,692 Republicans became Democrats.

  • 2020: 4,122 Democrat to Republican; 3,592 Republican to Democrat

  • 2016: 5,738 Democrat to Republican; 2,799 Republican to Democrat

Erie County

Between 2008 and 2021, 13,262 Democrats changed their party affiliation to Republican and 7,962 Republicans became Democrats.

  • 2020: 2,048 Democrat to Republican; 1,115 Republican to Democrat

  • 2016: 2,861 Democrat to Republican; 1,066 Republican to Democrat

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Franklin County

Between 2008 and 2021, 5,291 Democrats changed their party affiliation to Republican and 2,402 Republicans became Democrats.

  • 2020: 826 Democrat to Republican; 394 Republican to Democrat

  • 2016: 1,005 Democrat to Republican; 339 Republican to Democrat

Lawrence County

Between 2008 and 2021, 4,767 Democrats changed their party affiliation to Republican and 1,357 Republicans became Democrats.

  • 2020: 755 Democrat to Republican; 167 Republican to Democrat

  • 2016: 1,080 Democrat to Republican; 196 Republican to Democrat

Lebanon County

Between 2008 and 2021, 5,486 Democrats changed their party affiliation to Republican and 3,175 Republicans became Democrats.

  • 2020: 780 Democrat to Republican; 543 Republican to Democrat

  • 2016: 1,104 Democrat to Republican; 515 Republican to Democrat

Monroe County

Between 2008 and 2021, 6,009 Democrats changed their party affiliation to Republican and 3,316 Republicans became Democrats.

  • 2020: 896 Democrat to Republican; 472 Republican to Democrat

  • 2016: 1,324 Democrat to Republican; 514 Republican to Democrat

Montgomery County

Between 2008 and 2021, 25,204 Democrats changed their party affiliation to Republican, while 30,057 Republicans became Democrats.

  • 2020: 3,306 Democrat to Republican; 5,737 Republican to Democrat

  • 2016: 5,509 Democrat to Republican; 4,413 Republican to Democrat

Pike County

Between 2008 and 2021, 1,978 Democrats changed their party affiliation to Republican and 969 Republicans became Democrats.

  • 2020: 320 Democrat to Republican; 185 Republican to Democrat

  • 2016: 466 Democrat to Republican; 199 Republican to Democrat

Somerset County

Between 2008 and 2021, 4,801 Democrats changed their party affiliation to Republican and 1,075 Republicans became Democrats.

  • 2020: 922 Democrat to Republican; 114 Republican to Democrat

  • 2016: 1,024 Democrat to Republican; 138 Republican to Democrat

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York County

Between 2008 and 2021, 19,274 Democrats changed their party affiliation to Republican and 11,257 Republicans became Democrats.

  • 2020: 2,677 Democrat to Republican; 1,693 Republican to Democrat

  • 2016: 3,854 Democrat to Republican; 1,518 Republican to Democrat

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: PA voter registration statistics: More Democrats switching parties