2020 — Not a Four-Year, But a Ten-Year (or The Last) Election

Capitol Building (Harrisburg), Harrisburg, PA, USA

Photo by Olivia Connell on Unsplash

InThePublicInterest.net, L.L.C.©

WARNING: NOT A SAFE SPACE!!!

YOU MAY BE MADE TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE!!!

CONTINUE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

The stakes of the election of 2020 go far beyond the Presidency. My state, Pennsylvania, shows what happens when people forget about non-Presidential races.

In 2010, the total number of registered Democrats in Pennsylvania was 4,311,203 and the total number of registered Republicans was 3,132,039. In other words, as between the two parties, Democrats outnumbered Republicans by 1,179,164 voters. In all fairness, there were 38,031 registered Libertarians and 997,236 voters registered in in other parties-those on the Left and those on the Right.

Registrations don’t matter. Voters who vote do.

In the year 2010, Pennsylvania elected a U.S. Senator, Governor, the entire General Assembly and half of the Senate. The vote for the U.S. Senate, for the governorship and, when relevant, for state appellate posts, are statewide. Legislators are elected by districts.