Russ Steele
The Former Union Editor, Jeff Pelline, had some problems with a Union story on the changes in Nevada County voter registration numbers . Here are some of his concerns.
Here is a graphical view of the changes from 2000 to 2010.
It is true that Republican voter registration has declined by about 11% over ten years while the Democrats have increased by about 5% over ten years. During the same ten year period the County population increased by about 6%, with many citizens relocating from highly Democratic coastal cities. The real story is the Decline to State, which claim to be the Independents, has grown by almost 25% in10 years.
The Former Union Editor, Jeff Pelline, had some problems with a Union story on the changes in Nevada County voter registration numbers . Here are some of his concerns.
Here is a graphical view of the changes from 2000 to 2010.
It is true that Republican voter registration has declined by about 11% over ten years while the Democrats have increased by about 5% over ten years. During the same ten year period the County population increased by about 6%, with many citizens relocating from highly Democratic coastal cities. The real story is the Decline to State, which claim to be the Independents, has grown by almost 25% in10 years.
I will be willing to bet that most of the 11% decline in Republican voter registration is reflected in the Decline to State numbers, along with 10-13% of younger independent voters. There has been a lot of dissatisfaction with the Republican Party in the county, with a split between the hard core conservatives and the “we need to act more like Democrats to get elected” Republicans.
And, look what that strategy got us -- a Democratic House and Senate with a Socialist President. Over the Bush years many Republicans have left the GOP and switched their designation to Decline to State. As the Tea Party grows this trend should accelerate.
Voter registration percentages are from the California Sec of State web site.
