Posted on 10/30/2006 8:42:33 PM PST by Tamzee
Pennsylvania Democrats will head into the midterm elections with a 600,000 edge among registered voters after out-gaining Republicans by some 50,000 in the past year.
The tally slightly widens the advantage Democrats had in the 2004 presidential election, when the state rolls reached a record 8.4 million registered voters and Democrats outnumbered Republicans by 580,000. The overall number fell substantially immediately after the election as the rolls were purged of inactive voters. Through Monday, the state had tallied 8.2 million registered voters.
This year's ballot features one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country, a gubernatorial election and — in several districts — tight congressional contests that could swing the balance in the U.S. House of Representatives. Both parties say they expect record turnouts for a midterm election.
(snip)
The biggest percentage jump within both counties, though, came among unaffiliated voters and those registered with minor parties. That number surged 10 percent in Lehigh and 11 percent in Northampton, boosting the total to a combined 64,000.
Because local elections boards are constantly removing voters from the rolls — because of people dying, moving or simply not voting — it's impossible to know how much of the changes in the rolls come from new registrants. Still, some political observers say the overall numbers paint a bleak picture for Republicans.
Franklin & Marshall College's G. Terry Madonna, though, said he is ''suspicious'' of voter registration numbers because he suspects many counties don't remove inactive voters. He pointed to Philadelphia County, which has more than a million registered voters, meaning that more than nine out of 10 people of voting age are registered, based on recent Census estimates.
''Typically we have 80 percent of eligible voters registered,'' said Madonna, director of the college's Center for Politics and Public Affairs.
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at mcall.com ...
How many of the Democrats are actually ALIVE I wonder?
I live in Pittsburgh, and in all the elections since 1984, I have NEVER been asked to show ID. NEVER.
So the real change was 580,000 edge for Dems in 2004 to 600,000 now?
A marginal change. Not good, but not bad.
PT Barnum was right, I guess, there *is* a sucker born every minute.
Amazing what Democrats can accomplish when they VETO Voter ID, and Voter reform, isn't it??
Any bets on the Philly turnout this year??
I've got $5 at 108%...
I think ACORN got its start in Pittsburgh and Philly is notorious for shenanigans.
Last I Heard was that it was down in Ga, but UP in Arizona and Ohio..
Indiana's law seems to be the standard, and we'll get to see just how badly in effects the Democrats in Northern Indiana/Gary...
And where 11 out of 10 actually vote.
Keep the faith!
I guess they are still registering the cemetary citizens.
There are a lot of pseudo registered Pubbies in suburban Philly (who registered that way, because that was where the action was as to who was going to get elected, but no longer), who usually vote Dem, and have been registering Dem in large numbers in recent years - very large numbers. One would have to look at the county by county numbers, to see if that is the locus of the current change. The reason Pennsylvania is still only light blue is because the trend has been the opposite in Western Pennsylvania, a generally Dem area, that is also depopulating.
Exposed by moi as an urban legend, unfortunately, after crunching the numbers. :)
Well, the article mentions Philly apparently has 90% of eligible voters registered where the usual average is approximately 80%, I think.
And then there is the little matter of this.... leftist activist groups and Rendell's city officials are frantically trying to prevent election monitors from being at the polls. There is a hearing scheduled Friday...
"Philadelphia Opposes U.S. Observers at Polls"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1728936/posts
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