Last-minute voters flood office, Sacramento County, dems up by 9,000

[AlCzervik]

Last-minute voters flood office

About 25,000 area residents, mostly Democrats, register in 45 days before deadline for Tuesday's primary.

By Phillip Reese
Published 12:00 am PST Saturday, February 2, 2008

Tight contests and an early primary have led thousands of local residents to register to vote at the last minute, the California Secretary of State's office reported Friday.

Almost 25,000 Sacramento-area residents signed up to vote in Tuesday's primary during the 45 days leading up to the registration deadline. By a wide margin, the jump benefited Democrats – the party increased its local rolls by about 13,500. Republicans saw a smaller increase of 6,000, and the rest of the growth came in decline-to-state and third-party registrations.

Across the state, more than 240,000 voters registered at the last minute. About 150,000 of those voters are Democrats; about 40,000 are Republicans.

Such big increases are unusual for a California presidential primary. Those active in local politics had various theories about what was going on, but most agreed it reflected voter excitement.

"People are fired up," said Gary Dietrich, a local political analyst and head of Citizen Voice, a nonpartisan community activist group. "Everyone has something to vote for."

The most striking thing about the election figures, said Brad Buyse, campaign services manager for Sacramento County Elections, is the lopsided advantage in new registrations of Democrats over Republicans.

In Sacramento County alone, the number of registered Democrats jumped by 9,000 at the last minute – three times the increase among Republicans.

"Usually, we see the increases across the board," Buyse said. "It's very, very interesting."

Roger Salazar, a spokesman for the state Democratic Party, said the reason is simple.

"We're seeing an incredible amount of enthusiasm," he said. "That energy is translating into record numbers."

However, Hector Barajas, spokesman for the California Republican Party, said that his party hasn't really started its major voter registration drives; instead, it has focused on various propositions sharing the primary ballot with the candidates.

"As we enter the spring, the Republican Party will once again pick up its registration drive," Barajas said.

It's not clear whether Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton benefits more from the increase in registered Democrats, said Tim Hodson, executive director of the Center for California Studies at California State University, Sacramento. Obama has drawn out young voters who may not have registered before. But Clinton, he said, has picked up the support of new Latino voters.

http://www.sacbee.com/101/v-print/story/681382.html

[alphafemale]

1. Our local GA office had people coming in the door pretty steady too.

The deadline here was a month ago. And the workers said that it had been like that for several days.

Mr alpha and I had to update our registration because of an address change.

[neutron]

2. Good. Sacramento is a workingclass town

which means they will go for Clinton.
The wealthy dems will go for Obama because it's chic,
and they won't be affected by a mediocre president.

[AlCzervik]

3. Sac county is more than just the city itself. i'm district 3 so hopefully this means

our useless ahole Gop Rep. will be getting the boot.

[movonne]

5. And how do you know this....the wealthy dems will go for Obama..I

don't think that most blacks are wealthy...and the people that I have talked to that are voting for Obama are not wealthy...It really boils down to who wants change and who wants to stay with politics as usual...

[marlakay]

6. Don't be so sure my mom lives there and for Obama! nt

[JorgeTheGood]

4. I'm taking this to mean ...

uncommited republicans are flipping to vote for Obama (anti-Hillary).