"Newcomers might make the difference in N.H."

[Bluebear]

DOVER — With the presidential race in a statistical dead heat in New Hampshire, experts say this battleground state has a growing group of voters that could tip the balance for Sen. John Kerry — new arrivals.

Amid escalating urban sprawl spurred by high-tech industry growth and real estate boom across the state, the number of voters registered as Democrats has been increasing, according to Dante Scala, associate professor for the Department of Politics at St. Anselm College in Manchester. While Republican voters still outnumber Democrats, the difference between the two parties in the number of registered voters has narrowed nearly 50 percent since 2000, Scala said.

"New Hampshire is a little more Democratic than four years ago," said Scala, who believes these "new Democrats" will play an important role in this year’s election.

According to Scala, about 34 percent of registered voters are currently Republicans while 28 percent identify themselves as Democrats. The statistics compiled by the state Secretary of State office show 38 percent of voters called themselves Republicans in the state primary on Sept. 12, 2000, with less than 27 percent registered as Democrats. That means the gap between two parties dropped to almost half from more than 11 points to 6 points.

http://www.fosters.com/October_2004/10.29.04/news/pol_1029p.asp