County Sets Record for Registered Voters; Santee Ratio Remains Stable

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Setting a record for registered voters, San Diego County will have about 19,000 more Democrats eligible to vote in the presidential election than Republicans, according to final figures released Tuesday. In Santee the ratio of GOP, Democrat and "no party preference" (NPP) stayed about the same compared to the vote in June.

With 31,237 registered voters, Santee has 13,760 voters registered as Republicans, 8,440 Democrats and 7,234 declining to identify themselves by any party.

That represents an increase of 1,736 registered voters since April 30, with the biggest gains going to the Republican and NPP selections. If the trend continues NPP voters may out number Democrats by the 2016 presidential election.

The next-biggest affiliation in Santee is the American Independent Party, with 1,208 members, say the figures (attached).

The county Registrar of Voters Office says the county had 551,931 Democrats and 532,585 Republicans as of Oct. 30, although many voting districts are safe for one party or the other.

County Republican Party Chairman Tony Krvaric, contacted for comment, replied: “At this point it’s all about GET-OUT-THE-VOTE and we have a massive deployment this weekend and through Election Day.”

County Democratic Party Chairman Jess Durfee told KPBS that he attributed the rise in his party’s voters to the new law allowing online voter registration.

With 1.56 million voters—including a flood of 85,000 new voters since Sept. 30—the county broke the previous record for registered voters of 1.51 million set in November 2004. 

In the 50th Congressional District race—pitting GOP incumbent Duncan Hunter against Democrat David Secor—the finally voter tally shows 144,648 Republicans to 82,003 Democrats and 69,938 choosing NPP. In the 71st Assembly race, with incumbent Brian Jones facing off against Patrick Hurley, the district has 95,375 registered Republicans, 63,598 Democrats and 47,766 NPP.