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2023 election: Control of county governments is on the line in the Philly suburbs

Republicans looking to reverse a trend that's seen county governments turn blue

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Alex Wong/Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — In addition to Philadelphia mayor and City Council races, control of county government in the suburbs is on the ballot Tuesday. Four years ago, a blue wave hit the collar counties, giving Democrats control of seats they hadn't held in decades.

Bucks, Chester, Montgomery and Delaware counties were once Republican strongholds, but that has changed over the last decade. Democrats hold a registration advantage in each county. The gap is largest in Montgomery County, where Democrats hold a 50%-to-34% registration advantage. The smallest is Bucks County, where 42% to 41% are in favor of Democrats.


Democrats hold a 2-1 majority on county boards of commissioners in Montgomery, Bucks and Chester counties, after taking over that majority for the first time in years in 2019's municipal election. Also in 2019, Democrats took a 5-0 advantage on Delaware County Council.

While Democrats won big in row office races in the suburbs, sweeping them in 2019, Republicans in Bucks County swept the five row offices on the ballot in 2021.

Philadelphia suburbs are key in Pennsylvania, so political analysts will be watching Tuesday's results closely, as the president and a U.S. Senate seat are next on the 2024 ballot.

Republicans looking to reverse a trend that's seen county governments turn blue