New figures show shift in voter registration

With only days to go before Nebraska’s primary election, new figures from the Secretary of State show a shift in the state’s voter registration.

Deputy Secretary of State for Elections Neal Erickson says the number of Nebraska voters registered as Democrats has increased by nearly 14,000 in recent months. Meanwhile, the number of registered Republicans decreased by nearly 5,000 in the same period from mid-January to Monday.

Erickson says voter interest in this year’s presidential election likely explains the shift.
Erickson says overall registration increased nearly by nearly 7,300, to nearly 1.2 million registered voters. Republicans account for about 49 percent, Democrats 33 percent, and independents 17 percent.

In York County, the number of registered voters increased dramatically — compared to increases seen in past years. There are currently 10,837 registered voters in the county — 67 percent are Republicans, 20 percent are Democrats, 12 percent are non-partisan, and less than one percent are members of the Nebraska and/or Green parties.

The total number of registered voters in the county is up by 1,987 people — compared to the number at the time of the last Primary Election, in 2006.

The break-down of party affiliation, however, remains about the same as it was at the time of the Primary in 2006. Two years ago, 68 percent of the county’s voters were Republicans, Democrats were at 20 percent, 11 percent were non-partisan, and less than one percent were members of the Nebraska and/or Green parties.