Pa. Among America's 'Least Healthy' Democracies

By JUSTIN HEINZE (Patch Staff)

Caption: lighter-shaded states are ‘healthier’ versus the unhealthier darker states.

Pennsylvania may be widely liked, it may contain some of the nation’s best suburbs, it may have a thriving parks and recreation system, and it may have two dueling international cities.

But apparently, “healthy state democracy” is one accolade you can’t count on for the Keystone State.

A new study by the Center for American Progress Action Fund has ranked Pennsylvania 43rd out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Among the worst things about Pennsylvania’s democracy, according to the study, is the “accessibility of the ballot,” one of three categories on which states are judged.

Pennsylvania received an ”F” grade for accessibility.

That includes six sub-categories in which the state was specifically noted as one of the lowest performing:

Availability of voter preregistration for 16-and-17 year-olds - does not exist

Availability of online voter registration - does not exist

Availability of portable voter registration - no portable registration

Availability of early or in-person absentee voting - no early voting

Availability of no-fault absentee voting - does not exist

Participation in the Interstate Crosscheck System - yes, but existing system is one of the worst in the nation

The state also received a failing grade in the “influence in the political system” category. Researchers cited the lack of public campaign financing, poor campaign disclosure laws, and the lack of campaign contribution limits as the most egregious faults.

Congressional district realignment within the state, also known as “gerrymandering,” is widespread in Pennsylvania.

District boundaries have been rearranged in Pennsylvania to give Republicans a 16.7 percent advantage, the study says.

The study offers a set of policy recommendations to improve the democracy’s health. “Modernizing” the Pennsylvania voter registration system was one of the study’s major qualms. Residents should be able to register online and 16 and 17 year-olds should be able to pre-register, researchers said.

Eliminating voter ID laws, expanding early voting, and setting campaign contribution limits were just a few of the other most important fixes suggested.

See a full list of the Center’s recommendations for Pennsylvania here.

On the bright side, the Keystone State fared much better in the ”representation in state government” category, earning a ”C” mark and 22nd place overall.

Maine was ranked as the healthiest democracy, followed by Montana and Colorado.

Alabama, in turn, was the least healthy democracy, ranked 51st. They were joined by Virginia in 50th and Tennessee in 49th.

Image courtesy the Center for American Progress Action Fund.