Dec 23, 2011
USA TODAY
Voters leaving Republican, Democratic parties in droves
By Richard Wolf, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – More than 2.5 million voters have left the Democratic and
Republican parties since the 2008 elections, while the number of independent
voters continues to grow.
A USA TODAY analysis of state voter registration statistics shows
registered Democrats declined in 25 of the 28 states that register voters by
party. Republicans dipped in 21 states, while independents increased in 18
states.
The trend is acute in states that are key to next year's presidential
race. In the eight swing states that register voters by party, Democrats'
registration is down by 800,000 and Republicans' by 350,000. Independents have
gained 325,000.
* The pattern continues a decades-long trend that has seen a
diminution in the power of political parties, giving rise to independents as
_Ross
Perot_
(http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Business,+Science+and+Technology+Figures/Ross+Perot)
and _Ralph Nader_
(http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Activists/Ralph+Nader) and
the popularity this
year of libertarian Republican Ron Paul.
"The strident voices of both the left and the right have sort of soured
people from saying willingly that they belong to one party or the other,"
says _Doug Lewis_ (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Doug+Lewis) , who
represents state elections officials. "If both sides call each other
scurrilous dogs, then the public believes that both sides are probably
scurrilous
dogs."
Registered Democrats still dominate the political playing field with more
than 42 million voters, compared to 30 million Republicans and 24 million
independents. But Democrats have lost the most — 1.7 million, or 3.9%, from
2008.
Democratic registration has fared worse than Republicans in Colorado,
Florida, Iowa, Nevada, _New Hampshire_
(http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/States,+Territories,+Provinces,+Islands/U.S.+States/New+H
ampshire) , _New Mexico_
(http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/States,+Territories,+Provinces,+Islands/U.S.+States/New+Mexico)
,
_North Carolina_
(http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/States,+Territories,+Provinces,+Islands/U.S.+States/North+Carolina)
and
Pennsylvania — the eight swing states with party registration. Republican
losses are biggest in Nevada, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.
The decline is due to a variety of factors. People move, people die,
people revolt in disgust. Many are stripped from registration rolls by states
seeking to remove inactive voters.
By contrast, the number of independents has grown for years and is up more
than 400,000 since 2008, or 1.7%. States with big gains: Colorado,
Florida, North Carolina — and Arizona, a possible target for President Obama
in
_2012_ (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/2012) .
The 2012 winner, says North Carolina elections director _Gary Bartlett_
(http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Gary+Bartlett) , will be "whoever is
attractive to the unaffiliated voter."
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