Interesting map of where the votes are in North Carolina in 2008. The Civitas Institute has complied voter registration numbers for each county and the growth of the unaffiliated voter jumps out.
From 2000 to 2008, the state has added 432,700 voters who claim no party. Democrats gained a total of 40,800, much of that in and around Wake and Mecklenburg. Republicans gained 259,300 voters, most of that Down East where registrations were catching up to voting booth behavior.
This drives home the vital question of which primary ballot will these voters ask for come May? I don’t think anybody can hazard a reasonable guess at this point given the trade-offs. Pick Democrat, and you cannot vote in the tight GOP race for governor. Pick GOP and you can’t weigh in on Obama v. Clinton. Whatever can a middle-of-the-road guy do?
Not get run over, for a start.
