New Mexico Voter Registration Statistics: Independents Post Largest Percentage Gain

According to an AP story, voters eligible to vote in Tuesday's primary election in New Mexico total about 898,000 -- 543,615 Democrats and 354,272 Republicans. Since the 2004 primary here, Republicans have managed a 14% increase in registration and Democrats made a 9% gain in voter registrations in the state. In addition:

Currently, Democrats account for half of the state's registered voters. That's down slightly from June 2004, when Democrats represented 52 percent of all registered voters.

Republicans represented a third of the state's voters when registration rolls closed earlier this month for the primary election. They were 32 percent in 2004.

The biggest gain in registration in the past four years occurred with people unaffiliated with a political party.

So-called independents—"declined to state" a party affiliation, as it is called in New Mexico—total 161,116, an increase of 32 percent since 2004. That continues a trend in which independents are growing as a share of New Mexico's electorate. Unaffiliated voters account for 15 percent of registration this year, up from 13 percent in the 2004 primary.

Other stats:

• Total voter registration: 1.08 million, up 13% over 2004 primary
• 13% registration increase in the Albuquerque-area NM-01 since 2004
• 11% gain in NM-02 in southern New Mexico
• 13% increase in NM-03 in northern New Mexico
• Largest increase in voter registration: Sandoval County, including Rio Rancho, up 35%
• Dona Ana County had a 24% increase
• McKinley County, 19%
• Bernalillo County, 17%
• In 2004 primary, 187,821 Democrats, Republicans and Greens cast ballots, 23% of those registered and eligible to vote
• In 2000 primary, 223,490 Democrats, Republicans and Greens voted -- 28% of those registered that year

What does all this mean in terms of Tuesday's results? We can only wait and see. One thing I know for sure is that the Dem Party at all levels, as well as the Dem campaigns, need to put a lot more energy and time into increasing registrations for the Fall election. I'm pumped because Barack Obama is making that one of his top priorties, all over the nation.