Department of State: More than 8.4 Million Pennsylvanians Registered to Vote on Nov. 2

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A total of 8,478,509 Pennsylvanians are registered to vote at one of the state's more than 9,200 precincts in the General Election on Nov. 2, Secretary of the Commonwealth Basil L. Merenda announced today.  

"This is a very critical election in which Pennsylvanians will vote for a new U.S. Senator, members of the U.S. House, a new governor, many state Senators and all state House members," Merenda said.  "I urge every registered voter to go to the polls to make these important choices."

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., but those who are standing in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Merenda said adequate preparation by voters and going to the polls during off-peak times, between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. and between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., will help ensure a smooth election with minimal waiting.

The department's award-winning voter preparedness website, www.VotesPA.com  and toll-free hotline, 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772), are available to answer voters' questions.

"Voters should take time to visit www.VotesPA.com to learn where their polling place is located, what kind of voting system they will use, and what type of identification they should carry with them," said Merenda.

The number of registered voters in Pennsylvania reached an all-time high in 2008 with 8,755,588 registered voters for the 2008 General Election.

More information about the Pennsylvania Department of State is available at www.dos.state.pa.us. For complete voter registration statistics, click on "Newsroom," then "Voter Registration Statistics;" for unofficial, real-time election results, click on "View Election Results" on the department's homepage.

Media contacts: Leslie Amoros or Kevin Murphy, 717-783-1621

Editor's Note: The following is a breakdown of registrations:

There are 8,478,509 registered voters in Pennsylvania:

• 4,311,203 registered Democratic voters
• 3,132,039 registered Republican voters
• 38,031 registered Libertarian voters
• 997,236 registered all other party voters

(Note: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Pennsylvania's voting age population is estimated at 9,829,635).

Since Jan. 2010, a total of 345,439 approved new voter applications were processed:

• 149,806 registered as Democrats
• 103,518 registered as Republicans
• 6,537  registered Libertarian voters
• 85,578  registered all other party voters

By age, the largest group of registered voters is between 45 and 54 years old: (20 percent, or 1,684,857).

By age, the smallest groups of registered voters are between 18 and 24 years old with 9 percent of the total, and 75+ years old, with 10 percent.

(Note: The department does not have statistical breakdowns by race, gender or religious affiliation.  Pennsylvania's current voter registration form does not require that an applicant provide that information).

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of State