Counties that count: Talking with voters in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Friday, September 19, 2008

They're swing counties in swing states — and they may be the spots where this election is decided. In the first of a series on "counties that count," The Takeaway's Political Director Andrea Bernstein visits Wilkes-Barre in Pennsylvania's Luzerne County to see how voters there are reacting to the economic crisis and the candidates.

Guest: Andrea Bernstein, Takeaway Political Director

Correction: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, voters picked Al Gore (D) over George W. Bush (R) in 2000 and John Kerry (D) over George W. Bush (R) in 2004.

Profile: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
District map (pdf)
FIPS Code 079

Largest City
Wilkes-Barre

2004 Election Results
51.1% Kerry (D)
47.8% Bush (R)
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

2000 Election Results
52.0% Gore (D)
43.8% Bush (R)
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Population (2006 Est.)
313,020
U.S. Census Bureau

Population Change (2006 vs. 2000)
-2%
U.S. Census Bureau

Population, White (2006)
95.9%
U.S. Census Bureau

Most common ancestry (2000)
Polish
U.S. Census Bureau

Median household income (2004)
$36,968
U.S. Census Bureau

Top Employers (2006)
Wyoming Valley Health Care System (Health Care) - 3,500
Proctor & Gamble Paper Products Co. (Paper Products) - 2,450
Keystone Automotive Operations, Inc. (Automotive Parts) - 1,425
PG Energy (Utilities/Gas) - 1,269
Luzerne County Chamber of Commerce

Contributors:

Andrea Bernstein and Katherine Lanpher

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