Voter registrations in Florida show 'huge swing' toward Democrats

[usregimechange]

An escalating number of voters registering as Democrats is providing evidence that the 2008 election could produce a wave of support for Barack Obama — and trigger a decades-long shift of party allegiance that could affect elections for a generation.

The numbers are ominous for Republicans: Through May, Democratic voter registration in Broward County was up 6.7 percent. Republican registrations grew just 3 percent while independents rose 2.8 percent.

Democrats have posted even greater gains statewide, up 106,508 voters from January through May, compared with 16,686 for the Republicans.

"It's a huge swing," says Marian Johnson, political director for the Florida Chamber of Commerce. "I looked at that and said, 'Wow.'"

...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbvoters0712sbjul12,0,7473721.story

[snowbear]

1. Awesome! .. They said the same thing about Nevada a few days ago..

On Hardball or something.. Evidently Democratic registration there is going through the roof too!

~~~~~

[bluestateguy]

2. Obama needs to schedule a visit soon

and either he or the DNC or the FDP need to get an ad up on the air with McCain's "disgrace" remark about Social Security.

[Stevepol]

3. They said the same things about Kerry's numbers in 04.

I'll believe it when the machines have their say in the early morning of the day after the elections.

[Awsi Dooger]

4. The problem in 2004 was the GOP had a huge head start on us in Florida

Republicans had quietly targeted Florida for registration drives immediately post 2000. We surged late, during calendar year 2004, similar to now, and that grabbed all the headlines and euphoria on DU. But there was a basic problem. All our late flurry managed was to even the number of new registrations from 2000 to 2004. The net was basically nothing. I posted a thread in that regard prior to the '04 election and was hammered by the cheerleaders, but several more realistic posters in that thread knew the late gains were being overstated.

As of early this year the GOP still had an advantage in Florida, new registrants from 2000 to early 2008. We're playing catch up again. The interesting aspect is the soaring percentage of independents. Here's a paragraph from an article I bookmarked in January. The +90,000 net from January through May is outstanding, as highlighted in the article referenced in this thread, but notice where it stood in January:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orl-voters2808jan28,0,7003003.story

"Since 2000, the number of unaffiliated and minor-party voters -- those who shun the two major parties -- has swelled by nearly 900,000. Meanwhile, the GOP has added 543,512 members, and the Democratic Party 477,773."

[Lochloosa]

5. Not trying to burst your bubble, but you should read this

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/071308/met_303114996.shtml


Voter law threatens to cloud elections

The law charges a fee for registration drives; a group is fighting it.

By DEIRDRE CONNER, The Times-Union


Confusion over how citizens can register to vote is threatening to muddle upcoming elections in Florida.



Voter registration drives statewide are under fire from a new state law that establishes stiff fees for groups who undertake them. The League of Women Voters is challenging that law.

It's leading to confusion over what's allowed right now, said Jennifer Davis, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of State.

Locally, elections officials are trying to reach out to "inactive voters," or people who haven't voted recently or have moved without updating their address.

More than 100,000 people in Northeast Florida are on inactive voter lists, which means they could face trouble at the polls as early as August.

State law says elections officials must declare inactive any voter who hasn't returned a prepaid address confirmation within 30 days or whose mail has been returned as undeliverable.

Most people on the list are still eligible to vote. But if the county elections office doesn't have a correct address, they might end up at the wrong polling place. They'll have to fill out new paperwork and, depending on their new address, could have to go to a different polling place.

On a busy Election Day, that extra time could make or break the chance to cast a ballot.

"What we worry about is if they go to their old precinct at 6:45 and the polls close at 7," said Jerry Holland, Duval County elections supervisor.

A whopping one in six Duval County voters is considered inactive. In suburban counties, that figure was about one in 10.

Inactive voters who haven't voted in two general elections are purged and would have to re-register before voting again. But the purge won't happen until after the November election.

"snip"

The League of Women Voters of Florida is suing the state, saying the 2007 law will have a "chilling" effect on registration drives. They argue that the regulations disproportionately affect poor, African-American, Hispanic and women voters because they are twice as likely to register through a drive, said Dianne Wheatley-Giliotti, past president of the league.

[Pacifist Patriot]

6. That law is a major affront to democracy. I've been hoping the lawsuit would...

move more quickly. *sigh*

[formercia]

7. The GOP phantom voters will more than make up for it.

be prepared for another 'close' election victory in favor of the GOP.

Why won't they donate? :rofl:

[CanonRay]

8. Good, but will they let them vote?

and if they do, will they count the votes?