(The Center Square) – Amid decreases overall and by both major parties, the bloc of independent voter registrations in North Carolina grew by more than 2,000 in the past seven days.
Since Jan. 17, the Democratic bloc has lost 3,134, according to analysis by The Center Square on records published by the State Board of Elections. It’s a steady erosion for the party that claimed 47.6% of more than 5 million registrations on Jan. 1, 2004, while Republicans were at 34.4% and independents 17.7%.
Total voter registrations, more than 7.8 million on Election Day 2024, remain more than 7.7 million. Routine maintenance throughout the year is a key contributing factor to the volume changes.
The total number dropped 470, Republicans went back 1,260 and Democrats were reduced 1,320. The unaffiliated registrations went up 2,140.
North Carolinians have been marking ballots in the primaries since absentee requests were mailed out Jan. 12. The 51-day window to vote closes with the primaries March 3. Early in-person voting, during which same-day registration is available, got underway Thursday.
The state is split 39.2% for independents, 30.1% for Republicans and 30% Democrats.
Inside the numbers and the lead-up to the primary is the quest by a candidate near Kerr Lake on the border of Virginia to get voters to renounce their Democratic registration in favor of going unaffiliated. State law allows those unaffiliated to vote in the primary by choice of ballot for a party that is officially recognized.
Pamela Ayscue was a Democrat last summer, switched to Republican in time to file as one for the District 32 seat in the state House of Representatives, and on Jan. 10 used social media to ask for support through voter registration change.
Ayscue is running against former Rep. Frank Sossamon in the Republican primary. Sossamon was unseated in 2024 when Rep. Bryan Cohn, a Democrat, flipped the seat. He’s not running this year; the Democratic primary pits Melissa Elliott against Curtis McRae.
District 32 includes Granville County and the northern part of Vance County inclusive of Henderson, where Ayscue and Elliott reside; Sossamon and McRae are from Oxford.
In Granville County, since Ayscue made her request, total registrations are up 332 – 266 unaffiliated, 99 Republicans, and a loss of 35 Democrats. In Vance County (not all would be District 32), there is net gain of 16 registrations – 62 unaffiliated, and losses of 39 Democrats and 17 Republicans.
While Cohn's win over Sossamon was by 28 votes in the general election, party primaries haven't been generated in the last two cycles.
Ayscue is part of a broader coalition of six educators formerly registered as Democrats as recently as last summer trying to win Republican primaries. The others are Michele Joyner-Dinwiddie trying to win House District 35, Pamela Zanni HD81, Lisa Deaton Koperski HD89, Kelly VanHorn HD105 and Dr. Christopher Wilson HD117.
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