Politics

GOP Narrows Gap Among Florida's Registered Voters

By: Jim Turner | Posted: August 7, 2012 3:55 AM

Around the State

Credit: Shutterstock - Lightspring

Republicans have seen their rank and file numbers grow this year in Florida by a near 3-to-1 clip against the Democrats, which remains the state’s largest political party in terms of overall registered voters.

While Republicans dominate the state Legislature, there are now 4,581,056 registered Democrats eligible to vote in the Aug. 14 primary in Florida and 4,137,890 Republicans, according to the state Division of Elections.

Since the January primary, the Republicans have added 74,037 voters across the state.

There have been public calls out for people to switch parties in order to vote in closed primaries, with the GOP having more congressional and legislative primaries than the Democrats across the state.

The Republican Party of Florida, however, views the numbers as a shift in the views of Florida voters.

“We think it has more to do with Floridians becoming disenchanted with Obama, his administration and his failed policies,” said RPOF spokeswoman Kristen McDonald.

Representatives of the Florida Democratic Party were not immediately available for comment.

The Democrats have seen their ranks increase 27,493.

Of the state’s now 11,447,540 registered voters, 2,385,323 have no party affiliation.

The NPAs have grown by 114,504 since Jan. 3, when the books closed for the Jan. 31 primary, while the overall total is up 205,418 for the overall vote count.

The last day to register to vote in the primary was July 16.

The changes in party numbers also may be a reflection of the reduction in minor party options.

Last year, the state began to eliminate political parties in Florida with fewer than 5 percent of the state’s registered voters that could not comply with new guidelines set by legislators in 2011.

Among the parties dropped since January were the Christian Party, Conservative Party of Florida and Independent Democrats of Florida. The Christian Party accounted for 1,034 voters, the Conservative Party had 190. The Independent Democrats of Florida had more than 7,350 registered voters.

Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.

Tags: Democrats, Division of Elections, Florida Democratic Party, News, Republican Party of Florida, Republicans, Politics

Comments (12)

Luis

9:44PM AUG 7TH 2012

Does it take into account all the non-ciitizens that had been registered to vote, before Governor Scott's purge? I am sure most were registered in the Democratic Party.

Frank

10:24AM AUG 8TH 2012

Yes, all tens of them.

Compare that to depressed new voter registration, but, of course, you just hate Democrats being registered and will do anything to prevent that, correct?

That's why the courts are involved, and have now been finding some of the tactics illegal.

Oh, by the way, Republicans aren't supposed to call it a "purge", or didn't you get the memo?

Kate

1:44PM AUG 7TH 2012

I would say a large majority of those that changed or registered Republican were Ron Paul voters. I was a Democrat for 33 years and he is the only candidate that I believe. He will be on ballot in November.

Joanne Walczak

10:36AM AUG 8TH 2012

And thanks to people like you,who can't see the forest for the trees
(much to the misfortune of all of the people of Fla.) watch what happens.Paul will throw the election!! May God have Mercy on all of us

Lori Doutre

9:19AM AUG 11TH 2012

I agree Joanne, a vote for anyone other than Romney will only assist Barak Obama. Over the years I have voted for third party candidates to send a message to mainstream parties and each time the party I was least aligned with won. We have a clear choice in what direction we want our nation to move in. Government dependency and social handouts are not the answer.

Tamara

6:19PM SEP 2ND 2012

This years election is about more than Government dependency and social handouts.......If for some reason or another you lost your job Lori you would be knocking on the Governments door for a hand out.....This election is about class warfare either you are for the rich or the middle class. If you choose Romney then you will see a rise in taxes on the middle class, medicare cuts, social security cuts or elimination, tax breaks for the rich 120,000 families to be exact and we all know that the Republications deny global warming. At least the Democrats care about the rest the millions of people who live in this country. The history of the Republicans proves time and time again that every time and I repeat every time they are in power our country falls to its knees......Check the history book and you will see the facts..........................

ldoutre707

11:51PM OCT 8TH 2012

I lost my job thanks to the Affordable Care Act Tamara. Thankfully I had my savings to tide me over until I could find another job. I don't begrudge those who need the help but I can clearly see that between extended unemployment benefits, food stamps, cash assistance, Medicaid, and educational grants there is little incentive to accept a lesser paying job. We cannot allow our society to increasingly depend on social programs. One day in the not too distant future the free ride will come to an end and we will have riots in the streets just like certain countries in Europe. I will vote for Romney because I believe a moderate Republican can keep us from falling over this fiscal cliff.

Frank

10:30AM AUG 7TH 2012

Nothing like voter suppression tactics to raise your relative numbers . . . until the courts started finding your tactics illegal . . . again.

John Paul Jones

4:27PM AUG 7TH 2012

This is already too funny to make a joke out of. You sure are reliable Frank. Maybe your argument just isn't persuasive.

Frank

5:11PM AUG 7TH 2012

Yes, the court's a joke to you, I'm sure.

Glenn Kirby

9:08AM AUG 7TH 2012

How can the american voters vote for Obama. We can see that he wants to tear the system apart with his socialist ideals.
My friends you cannot borrow and spend yourself out of debt. we need a change, what we have now will not work. Mr Romney is a business man, he thinks in terms of dollars and (sense), with less regularations. How is it possiable to vote for Obama when we can see what he does day by day.

NavyVet

11:45AM AUG 7TH 2012

@Glenn - I agree with the majority of your statement, except for the part you predict Mr. Romney would play. Unfortunately, unless a miracle happens, Obama will retain the title of monarch, as his apparent opponent has failed to excite the masses, and offers little contrast to the incumbent. By the way, the influx of GOP registered voters is, at least to some degree, attributable to supporters of Ron Paul, Herman Cain, and others motivated by something other than the status quo, and they should be given their due. Thank you.