Pennsylvania Voters Take Center Stage in Pivotal 2024 Election Battle
In Pennsylvania, where every vote is crucial, longtime Democrat Bill Donovan is working tirelessly to register voters in the swing state. As a 78-year-old volunteer, he visits Pittsburgh’s universities, chatting with students in coffee shops and on sidewalks to encourage their participation in the upcoming 2024 election. Donovan supports Vice-President Kamala Harris, a candidate vying for this influential state’s 19 electoral votes, the most of any battleground state.
“It could all come down to Pennsylvania,” Donovan explained. “It’s a powerful incentive to keep going, even when we’re exhausted.” Over the past 12 presidential elections, the state’s choice has predicted the national outcome in 10 cases, reinforcing Pennsylvania’s importance this year.
For university student Dimitri Chernozhukov, a 21-year-old attending Lafayette College, voting in Pennsylvania carries the weight of influence. A dedicated Trump supporter, Chernozhukov appreciates the state’s significance: “My vote counts here, so I made sure everything was perfect when registering,” he said.
The candidates and their running mates know how vital this state is, too. Since July, Harris, Trump, and their teams have visited Pennsylvania over 50 times. For residents like Kari Holmes, a pastor in eastern Pennsylvania, the constant attention highlights their vote’s weight. Working with other community leaders, she’s determined to energize voters of color, an essential demographic this election. “This is our moment to recognize how powerful our vote is,” Holmes said.
With roughly nine million registered voters, the state’s political divide is nearly even. Democrats count about 3.9 million registered voters to the Republicans’ 3.6 million, with an additional 1.4 million Independents. Both campaigns are doing all they can to sway these independent voters, who could ultimately determine the outcome.
Marc Pane, a Scranton auto-repair business owner, shares this sense of responsibility. “It could really come down to Pennsylvania,” he stated enthusiastically. “We could be the deciding factor—it’s pretty exciting.”
Much of the state’s Democratic support is concentrated in urban hubs like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, while central Pennsylvania’s rural areas strongly lean Republican. Two bellwether counties, Erie in the west and Northampton in the east, are closely watched as they tend to follow national trends. Erie and Northampton flipped between Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020, further emphasizing their importance.
In Lehigh County, Democratic leader Lori McFarland works to rally support, but she’s cautious of the pressure this election brings. “We’re trying to stay focused,” McFarland shared. “All eyes are on Lehigh, Northampton, and Erie Counties. It’s overwhelming.”
The increased focus has led to a surge in political ads. From July through early October, Harris’s campaign spent a staggering $159 million on Pennsylvania ads, while Trump’s campaign invested $120 million. For Allegheny County resident Andy Jones, who supports Trump, the advertisements are constant. “It’s a battle over yard signs and billboards here,” he laughed. “But people are definitely motivated. This state matters.”
