PENNSYLVANIA
In Brief
" Pennsylvania favored Republican candidates in most state and national elections
between the 1860's and the 1930's. Democrats have gained strength since the early
1930's, especially in the larger cities. Since 1932, Democratic and Republican
presidential candidates have won the state's electoral votes about the same number of
times."
Resource: World Book 2008
Capital: Harrisburg
Area: 46,055 sq mi
Population: 12,440,621
Resource: World Almanac 2008
Pennsylvania’s 2007 population of 12.4 million has a higher median age than the nation
as a whole, a higher percentage of the non-Hispanic white-alone population and a lower
percentage of Hispanics, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics. About 65 percent
of Pennsylvania’s voting-age citizens cast a ballot in the 2004 general election, about the
same as the national rate of 64 percent.
More information at: http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/voting.html
Selected Characteristics
Median age
Women
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino
Black alone
Hispanic or Latino
Median household income
Foreign born
Persons below poverty
Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+)
Median home value
Pennsylvania
39.5
51.4%
82.1%
10.7%
4.2%
$46,259
5.1%
12.1%
25.4%
$145,200
U.S.
36.4
50.7%
66.4%
12.8%
14.8%
$48,451
12.5%
13.3%
27.0%
$185,200
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Total Population Estimates (2007), State Population Estimates by
Characteristics (2006), American Community Survey (2006).
More Resources
Government Information
The official web site for the State Pennsylvania
http://www.pa.gov/portal/server.pt?
Governor of Pennsylvania
http://www.governor.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?
Pennsylvania - Elected officials in U.S. Senate
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=PA
Pennsylvania - Elected officials in U.S. House of Representatives
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml#de
Elections 2008
Politics 1: Pennsylvania Directory
http://www.politicsone.com/pa.htm
The Green Papers: Pennsylvania 2008 General elections General
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/G08/PA.phtml
Department pf State - Elections Information
http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/
Statistics
Pennsylvania - Quick facts from the US Census Bureau
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42000.html
Media
Local newspapers
http://www.newslink.org/panews.html
Local radio stations
http://www.newslink.org/paradi.html
General Information
Infoplease Pennsylvania
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108264.html
50states.com - Pennsylvania
http://www.50states.com/pennsylv.htm
Please find more information at
http://usa.usembassy.de/classroom/electionproject2008/index