(The Center Square) – Democrats have gained more voter registrations than Republicans in North Carolina since the primaries, yet both major parties are incredibly far away from the gains of the unaffiliated bloc, according to the latest update of the State Board of Elections.
Saturday’s new numbers show Democrats (6,957) for the first time since March 3 having a larger gain than Republicans (6,687) in registrations, each a fraction of the 124,207 increase for independents.
The total registration gain is 138,096, meaning a net of 89.9% – 9 in 10 voters – are choosing to abandon the major parties, or the Green and Libertarian parties also recognized by the state.
For additional context, consider the change since Election Day 2024. Total net registrations are up 6,445. The unaffiliated bloc is nearly 29 times that at 186,411, with Democrats having lost 132,142 and Republicans decreasing 18,142.
The total registrations in the nation’s ninth largest state (11.2 million) stands at 7,846,356, of which, 40.1% are unaffiliated (3,145,417), 3,328,930 are Republicans (29.7%), and 2,320,605 are Democrats (29.6%). There are 46,554 in the Libertarian Party, 4,850 in the Green Party.
The Center Square analyzes the registration trend as part of its mission for reporting taxpayers' views, government accountability, and the intersection at the ballot box that will shape policy impacting Americans across multiple areas.
Voter roll maintenance, standard and as required by state law, and a trend away from parties since Election Day 2024 have continued to swell the independents and weaken the major parties in registration numbers.
Last week, unaffiliateds snagged 3,590 of 4,619 net change in registrations (77.8%). Democrats increased 804 and Republicans were up 192.
North Carolinians will choose a U.S. senator, all 14 members of the U.S. House, and all 170 members of the General Assembly. One state Supreme Court seat and a number of judges, district attorneys, and county level offices are on the state's second-longest ballot of the four-year cycles.
For context in the change of landscape, at what is generally considered a landmark Election Day in 2008, the state’s total registrations were 6,264,733. Those unaffiliated numbered just under 1.4 million (22.2%) while Democrats’ 2,866,669 had 45.8% share and Republicans’ 2,002,416 was a 32% share. Barack Obama became the first Democrat since Jimmy Carter in 1976 to carry the state, by a mere 14,177 votes of more than 4.3 million cast, on the way to winning the White House.
Neither Obama nor Carter managed to carry the state in their reelection bids.
The state’s lone U.S. Senate seat in 2008 was won by Democrat Kay Hagan, and the 13 U.S. House seats were divvied up eight Democrats and five Republicans. Democrats are 0-5 in Senate races since.
The Council of State went 8-2 to Democrats. Incumbent Republicans’ Steve Troxler and Cherie Berry remained commissioners of agriculture and labor, respectively. And the General Assembly was 30-20 Democrats in the Senate and 68-52 Democrats in the House of Representatives.
Today, Republicans have won the state in the presidential race 13 of the last 15 contests (1968-present), five consecutive U.S. Senate races (2010-present), and two years ago captured 10 of 14 seats for the U.S. House.
The Council of State is a 5-5 split. On Election Day 2024, the General Assembly majorities were 30-20 Republicans in the Senate and 71-49 Republicans in the House of Representatives.
Absentee voting began on Sept. 4 with the mailing of ballots to the nearly 50,000 requesting them, opening a 61-day window to Nov. 3. Oct. 9 is the voter registration deadline.
Absentee requests do not require a reason; anyone can file with their respective counties. The deadline for an absentee ballot in the mail to be in a county election board office is when the polls close at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3; the request deadline is 5 p.m. on Oct. 20.
Early in-person voting is Oct. 15-31, and same-day registration is permitted.
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