Zeqe Golomb, Alyssa Kwon, Audrey Zhao, and Yujin Lee
As the Keystone State, holder of 19 Electoral College votes, and a prominent swing state, Pennsylvania is widely considered a political battleground for both national elections and statewide contests between Democrats and Republicans in the state legislature. Contention between the two parties is present nationwide, but is exacerbated in Pennsylvania. The suburbs of PA are predicted to be a decisive factor in the 2024 presidential election. The issue of political polarization is one that seeps into the everyday lives of every citizen, affecting facets of life from healthcare to the economy to international relations. As such, polarization also has many root causes that are hydra-like and difficult to unravel. Since policy is the result of many elected officials, who are in turn put into office as the cumulus of many individual votes, it’s difficult to pinpoint where to tackle the problem. The most easily identifiable lies back in policy making, particularly legislation that affects how primary elections are held. Pennsylvania is just one of nine states nationwide that hold closed primaries, causing the most opinionated and polarised voters to hold sway over who Pennsylvania’s elected officials are. An increase in the power of one party causes the opposing party to struggle for power, creating a tug-of-war where Democrats and Republicans spend much of their efforts on campaigning and reelection rather than serving the voter base. Polarization causes not only cultural clashes and tension, but also decreases political efficacy and hinders citizens’ quality of life from progressing.
This map is part of the Carnegie Mellon University exhibition and interactive session organised by Luis Garcia, Structured Systems Mapping: Cultivating a practice of critical reflection and collaborative exploration.
Access the folder of full-resolution maps.
