At least 180K join GOP as Pa. primary nears

[Trenzalore]

When Ted Cruz, John Kasich, and Donald Trump square off in Pennsylvania's April 26 Republican presidential primary, they will find themselves competing for votes from a rapidly changing base.

At least 128,000 voters statewide have changed their registration since Jan. 1 to join the party. Nearly 85,000 of them had been Democrats; 42,000 were independents or third-party voters. The GOP has also racked up 55,468 more first-time registrants.

The changes reflect what experts are calling an unprecedented number of party switches before a primary election.

That raises questions: Are Democrats and other voters flocking to the GOP in support of one of its three candidates? Or could they be plotting to stuff the ballot boxes for a Republican they think their nominee can beat in November?


Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20160329_At_least_180K_join_GOP_as_Pa__primary_nears.html#KMjtdKWIUw3HF8pD.99

[SCantiGOP]

1. My best guess:

They are terrified and want to vote against Trump. I would guess they would vote Kasich as the best alternative.
Sure hope that's it and they all vote Dem in November no matter who the two candidates are.

[fbc]

11. I'd say it's more likely the opposite.

They love them some Trump!

[noretreatnosurrender]

2. PA Voters Double Check Your Registrations

Make sure you're not one of the new Republican voters due to an error.

[meow2u3]

4. Checked voter registration

I'm a Dem. No shenanigans so far.

[noretreatnosurrender]

5. Good

I used to live in Pittsburgh so I'd hate to see problems up there.

[SheilaT]

3. I don't live in Pennsylvania, and I can only speak for myself,

but I am only going to vote in a Democratic primary or caucus, wherever I live. It's my personal opinion that I can let the Republicans take care of their own, and I will only care about my party's nominee.

I would be saying that even in a year when we have an incumbent President, so we won't be having (or normally won't be having) a primary challenge. And if there is such a challenge, you can be even more assured I'll be voting in my party's primary or caucus.

[noretreatnosurrender]

6. Me Too

I don't think there are a bunch of Democrats who are switching to influence the Republican primary. I don't buy that. It's either Reagan Democrats going back to Republicans (not good for the Democratic Party) or Hanky Panky with the registrations again (not good for Sanders supporters).

[SheilaT]

9. For what this is worth,

I used to live in Kansas, and a huge number of people who really are Democrats register as Republicans so they can vote in the Republican primary, where most of the action is. I would tell them they shouldn't care about the Republican primaries. Plus, it seemed to me as though the Ds registered as Rs were pretty much equally divided between those who would vote for the most extreme Republican on the theory that then people would vote for the sensible Democrat in the race, and those who would vote for the more moderate Republican on the theory that at least we could live with that person in office.

Another issue, on a state and local level there was that someone who might consider running as a Democrat for something might well take one look at the registration numbers, note that about 2/3 of the voters were registered Republicans, and decide, Why bother? If, instead, people were registering by their genuine party beliefs, it would be a lot closer to 50/50, and more Democrats would then run at all levels.

I actually ran for the Kansas State House of Representatives in 2004. I lost, but I did well enough that two years later the Democratic party knew that my district was winnable and put money into the race. I was able to persuade a good and competent man to run in that District, and he won, and then won re-election. He lost, alas, in the extreme rightwing takeover of that state, and I doubt he will run again.

So back to the essential point here. If you consider yourself a Democrat, you really ought to register as one, especially so you can vote in your state's primary or caucus. If you really are a genuine independent, or if your state has an open primary or caucus, then that's different. But you really should be aware of how your state does things.

[LiberalElite]

7. In contrast, the NY State elections law

is that change of party registration does not take effect until AFTER an upcoming election.

[Yo_Mama]

8. Since we have a contested Dem nomination, I doubt that Dems are switching just to futz the Rs.

It probably has more to do with the economic situation in many parts of Pennsylvania.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

10. the news wasn't all good for the GOP.

More unaffiliated or third-party voters joined the Democratic Party this year — 52,200 became a Democrat while 42,600 switched to the GOP — and Democrats signed up more new voters this year, 70,000 to 55,500, according to state data. Pennsylvania has supported the Democrat in every presidential election since 1988 and Democrats headed into the primary with a significant advantage, slightly above 4 million voters to nearly 3.1 million GOP voters.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/03/30/voter-party-switching-sows-primary-intrigue-in-pennsylvania.html

[Deuce]

12. Thanks for the additional info and link.