(The Center Square) – For the second week in a row, net changes sent more registrations into the independent bloc than overall for North Carolina voters.
Overall registrations increased 4,559 during the most recent seven-day period posted Saturday by the State Board of Elections. Unaffiliated registrations went up 4,784, Republicans 12 and Democrats lost 257.
For context in ratio form, that’s 10 of 10 choosing independence from the liberal side that has been most powerful in the state over the last century and the conservative side that has risen since the turn of the century.
Total registrations are up to 7,751,262 in the nation’s ninth largest state, arguably a leading battleground for the upcoming midterms and the next presidential cycle in two years. Republicans have 2,325,060 for 30%, Democrats have 2,314,486 for 29.9%, and each significantly trails the unaffiliated registrations of 3,060,908 for 39.5%.
Last time either of those three voting groups had a 39.5% share was when Democrats had exactly that on Nov. 8, 2016 – the day Republican Donald Trump first won the White House. It was already a fall from 47.6% on Jan. 1, 2004, and the descent has continued.
From the every two years elections of 1930 to 1982, Democrats were below 43 of the 50 state Senate seats just twice (won 38 in 1969, won 35 in 1973) and didn’t have fewer than 30 until only getting 26 in the 1994 cycle. From 1930 to 1982 in the House, Democrats had fewer than 102 of the 120 just six times with 85 won in 1974 the worst.
Three decades ago, at Election Day 1992, North Carolinians elected Democrats to all 10 Council of State positions and majorities of 39-11 in the state Senate and 78-42 in the House.
In the most recent 2024 cycle, Republicans won half of the 10 Council of State seats, and majorities of 30-20 in the Senate and 71-49 in the House of Representatives.
