Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

Enthusiasm gap? New voter numbers down from ’06, ’08

  • by Mark Pazniokas
  • October 22, 2010
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

Looking for hard evidence of the enthusiasm gap between Democrats and Republicans? Or this election and 2008? Try the latest voter registration numbers.

Only 34 percent of new voters in Connecticut registered as Democrats this year, compared to 39 percent in 2006 and 43 percent in 2008.

Republicans, relatively speaking, are having a strong year, with 20 percent of new voter registrations, compared to 16 percent in 2006 and 13 percent in 2008.

Among new voters, the percentage of unaffiliated has remained nearly constant: 44 percent in 2006, 43 percent in 2008 and 44 percent in 2010.

Through the middle of the month, the state recorded 67,232 new voter registrations, compared to 90,000 in 2006 and 300,000 who registered to vote for president in 2008.

Voters can continue to register until 8 p.m. on Oct. 26.

“In 2008, we had an unprecedented number of new voters,” said Susan Bysiewicz, the secretary of the state. “I think we had more than 20,000 who registered at the deadline. That was incredible.”

With Barack Obama on the ballot in 2008, the young registered in droves: About half of all new voters were under 30.

This year, the downturn in voter registrations are consistent with polling that shows a dispirited, even angry electorate, despite open seats for U.S. Senate and governor.

The uptick in Democratic registrations in 2006 and 2008 preceded what turned out to be Democratic wave elections in congressional races.

In 2006, Democrats Joe Courtney and Chris Murphy unseated Republicans Rob Simmons and Nancy Johnson, giving Democrats four of the state’s five U.S. House seats.

Two years ago, helped by Obama’s coattails, Democrat Jim Himes unseated the only remaining Republican member of the U.S. House in Connecticut and New England, Chris Shays.

Obama is coming to Bridgeport on Oct. 30, the Saturday before the election, to try to help Himes recapture some of that enthusiasm.

Republican State Chairman Chris Healy is upbeat about the GOP’s chances this year, but he declined to put too much emphasis on the voter registrations.

“Ultimately, I think you can get yourself to the point of delirium trying to figure out what these new numbers mean,” Healy said. “Voters who come in off-year elections are more motivated, almost like primary voters.”

Democratic State Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo said the drop off from 2008 just reflects the extraordinary interest that Obama and Hillary Clinton generated all year among Democrats.

As of Oct. 18, the state had 2,009,938 voters: 746,080 Democrats (37 percent), 415,663 Republicans (21 percent) and 835,887 unaffiliated(42 percent).

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Pazniokas

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
After Lamont pans tax hikes on the rich, key Democrats push back hard
by Keith M. Phaneuf

Progressive Democrats say Gov. Ned Lamont must invest more in poor communities and households to get a new budget deal.

The Connecticut Mirror honored with 12 awards at press convention
by CT Mirror Staff

CT mirror won a first-place award for its coverage of the COVID pandemic, and reporters took seven other first-place awards.

Nursing home strikes loom large in CT as strike votes are underway
by Keith M. Phaneuf

Initial union balloting at 33 Connecticut nursing homes overwhelmingly favors a strike, and staff at 11 more homes will vote soon.

Why it took days for one CVS store in CT to stop vaccinating New Yorkers
by Dave Altimari

By the time state officials arrived at a Waterford CVS on Feb. 4 to investigate reports that New Yorkers were getting the COVID-19 vaccine, the […]

From UHart faculty: All Hawks deserve our support
by Amanda Freeman, Katharine Owens and Rachel Walker

Last week college sports fans in Connecticut were roiled by some startling news. The University of Hartford has been privately considering a move from NCAA Division I to Division III. Grappling with the financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the University commissioned a “feasibility study” from the consulting company CarrSports. The confidential report concluded that the “current Division I-funding model is not viable and cannot achieve the goal of becoming more self-sustaining.”

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion From UHart faculty: All Hawks deserve our support
by Amanda Freeman, Katharine Owens and Rachel Walker

Last week college sports fans in Connecticut were roiled by some startling news. The University of Hartford has been privately considering a move from NCAA Division I to Division III. Grappling with the financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the University commissioned a “feasibility study” from the consulting company CarrSports. The confidential report concluded that the “current Division I-funding model is not viable and cannot achieve the goal of becoming more self-sustaining.”

Opinion Lessons learned: Education is not enough to combat anti-vaccine propaganda
by Kerri M. Raissian and Jody Terranova

The Connecticut House of Representatives just passed legislation to end the religious exemption for the school vaccination requirement ( HB6423).  The Connecticut state Senate must act quickly to do the same.  If passed, Connecticut would require medically able school children to receive vaccines as recommended by the CDC.

Opinion Biden ought not overuse the term ‘infrastructure’
by Eric W. Kuhn

President Joe Biden's redefinition of the word "bipartisan" is wise, even necessary. Measures that have majority support among regular folks throughout the country-- say, universal background checks for firearms purchases-- have "bipartisan" support because lots of citizens of both major parties approve: that makes sense.

Opinion Please let restaurants and bars recover from the pandemic. Oppose HB 6502
by Robert D’Eliseo and Don Mancini

For the first time in almost a year, we can see a light at the end of the tunnel of the COVID-19 pandemic. But that does not mean we are out of the tunnel yet – and these coming months will be critical for the recovery. That is why this is not the time for the Connecticut General Assembly to push the polystyrene ban (HB 6502) they seem on track toward passing.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s […]

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is […]

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Awards
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO