Honestly, if you spent any time driving through West Chester or Kennett Square last October, you saw the signs. The blue and red rectangles were everywhere. Everyone knew Pennsylvania was the center of the political universe, but Chester County election results 2024 tell a story that's a bit more nuanced than just "the suburbs went blue."
It was a weird night. While Donald Trump was busy flipping the state and reclaiming the White House, the "Chesco" bubble largely held its ground for the Democrats. But "holding ground" doesn't mean things didn't shift under the surface.
The Top of the Ticket: Harris vs. Trump
Let's look at the big one. Kamala Harris took Chester County. It wasn't particularly close here, even if the rest of the state was a different story. Harris walked away with 175,686 votes, which is about 56% of the total. Donald Trump pulled in 133,497 votes, or roughly 42.5%.
You've got to compare this to 2020 to see the real trend. Back then, Joe Biden won the county with 57.7% to Trump’s 40.7%. So, yeah, Harris won, but Trump actually grew his share slightly. It’s a tiny move, but in a county that has been trending hard left for a decade, any Republican gain is going to raise some eyebrows.
Turnout was basically through the roof. We're talking about historic numbers. People weren't just "showing up"; they were waiting in lines at the Government Services Center for hours to drop off mail-in ballots or sort out registration issues.
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Casey vs. McCormick: The Senate Shocker
This is where things got really interesting. While Bob Casey has been a staple of Pennsylvania politics forever, he ran into a massive wall in 2024. In Chester County, Casey actually outpolled Harris slightly in terms of percentage, grabing 54.6% of the vote.
But Dave McCormick, the Republican challenger, stayed within striking distance at 43%. Statewide, McCormick eventually took the seat in a major upset that shifted the balance of power in D.C.
Why does this matter for Chesco? Because it shows that "split-ticket" voting is still a thing. There were definitely people in Tredyffrin or Phoenixville who voted for Harris but couldn't quite pull the lever for the rest of the Democratic ticket, or vice versa.
The "Blue Wall" in the State House
If you look at the local races, the Democrats basically swept the board for the state-level offices. It's kinda wild when you think about how this county used to be a GOP stronghold just twenty years ago.
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- Chrissy Houlahan (6th District) kept her seat comfortably with 56.4% of the vote.
- Carolyn Comitta held onto her State Senate seat in the 19th district.
- John Kane secured the 9th State Senate district, though it was a tighter margin at 51.9%.
Basically, the Democratic "row office" candidates—the ones running for Attorney General, Auditor General, and Treasurer—all won Chester County too. Eugene DePasquale (AG), Malcolm Kenyatta (Auditor), and Erin McClelland (Treasurer) all cleared the 51% mark here.
The one outlier? The 160th District. Craig Williams, the Republican incumbent, managed to hold on by a hair, beating Elizabeth Moro with 50.4% of the vote. It shows that in the southern and western parts of the county, the Republican brand still has some serious staying power.
Why the Results Look This Way
You can't talk about these numbers without talking about demographics. Chester County is wealthy. It's highly educated. These are exactly the types of voters that have fled the modern GOP.
But there’s a catch. The economy.
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Talking to people at the polls, the "vibe" was different this time. Even if people didn't like Trump's personality, the price of eggs at the Giant in Exton or the cost of gas in West Grove was a real factor. That’s likely why Trump and McCormick did just a little bit better here than the 2020 GOP candidates.
What Happens Next?
If you're a political junkie or just a concerned neighbor, these results aren't just numbers on a spreadsheet. They dictate what happens with our local schools, our property taxes, and how the county handles the massive development pressure we're seeing.
Actionable Insights for Chesco Residents:
- Check your registration: If you moved recently (and a lot of people are moving to Chesco), make sure your info is updated at the PA Department of State website.
- Watch the 2025 Municipals: This year was the "big one," but next year is when we vote for school boards and local supervisors. That’s where your property taxes are actually decided.
- Engage with the Commissioners: The Chester County Board of Commissioners meets regularly. Since the county stayed blue while the state went red, there’s going to be a lot of friction regarding funding and state-level mandates.
The chester county election results 2024 proved one thing: this county is no longer a "swing" area for the presidency, but it's still a fiercely contested battleground for everything else. Keep an eye on those southern precincts; they’re the ones that will tell us if the GOP can ever make a comeback in the Philadelphia suburbs.