States see leap in voter sign-ups: Many register, switch for late Dem primaries

[babylonsister]

States see leap in voter sign-ups
Many register, switch for late Dem primaries

By Martha T. Moore
USA TODAY


Nominating a Democratic presidential candidate has become a marathon, but primary voters are going the distance: Voter registration is surging in six of the eight states with upcoming Democratic primaries — a sign that turnout could continue to break records.

The hard-fought Democratic nomination contest between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is making every primary critical. As a result, the late-voting states of Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky and Oregon have seen a boost in voter registration, state officials say.

"We're definitely seeing a big increase," says Scott Moore, spokesman for the secretary of State's office in Oregon, where more than 28,000 people registered to vote in January and February.

Moore says he expects 25,000 more voters to sign up this month, before the April 29 deadline, "because there are a lot of campaigns that are just now kicking off registration drives." If so, Oregon would top 2 million registered voters.

In North Carolina, which votes May 6, 165,449 new voters have registered since Jan. 1, nearly a 3% jump in total registration. Three-quarters of the new voters are Democratic or independent and therefore eligible to vote in the Clinton-Obama contest.

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http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080407/1a_lede07_dom.art.htm

[glowing]

1. No matter what, this is great. More people than ever before are now

participating in elections.. and are paying attention to the issues.. This better signal the the D.C. crowd that the country is restless and they are demanding change.. At this time, there is still hope in the democratic process. If another 2000 selection happens; they cannot expect for The People to sit idley by. People in this country are not happy with the asshats that are suppose to do the will of the people.

[liberal N proud]

2. I think it is fantastic that more people are voting

And happy that more are registering as Democrats.
Every American should vote, they should see it as a responsibility and be compelled to do so out of an act of citizenship.

I have always said that the more people that vote the less chance a Republicon will get elected. If every American who was eligible to vote would, the Republicans would never have a majority again.

What bothers me is some of the motivations that are driving people to vote Democratic. We have right wing talking heads telling their ditto-heads to register Democratic and vote for or against a particular candidate because, they think the can beat the other in November.

Never less, we will get more people to vote and that can't be a bad thing.