Another reason for optimism

[JFW]

With Florida once again expected to be a key battleground state, the following news from an article in today's Orlando Sentinel is good news indeed. The "I-4" corridor runs from Daytona Beach on the east coast, through Orlando and on to Tampa on the west coast of the state and is said to be the most critical area in terms of who winds up carrying Florida in November.

Registration gains please Democrats
Independents are also growing on rolls along the I-4 corridor.

By Mark Schlueb | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted June 5, 2004

The Democratic Party is registering thousands more voters in Orange County, a place once dominated by Republicans,according to the latest voter-registration numbers.
The same holds true in three other counties along the Interstate 4 corridor -- the area coveted by both presidential contenders. Voters also are registering as independents at a faster clip. But GOP registrations are lagging.
"The Republican Party has been standing still in Orange County for four years; I don't care how much they thump their chests," said Doug Head, leader of Orange County's Democrats.
Political experts attribute the Democrats' growth to widespread registration drives and division over the war in Iraq.
Since (2000), the Democratic Party has added 26,232 voters in Orange, while the Republicans added 10,635.
Democrats now outnumber Republicans by 19,170.
Political experts say gains by Democrats and independents are in part because of divisions about Iraq and hard feelings over Bush's contested win in 2000. But it's also because of voter-registration drives by a variety of groups that have one thing in common: They tend to lean left.
Independent committees working to unseat Bush are spending big money -- all of it unregulated by federal election law -- to knock on doors in critical swing neighborhoods. They're after a large turnout among Democrats, who have historically voted in lower rates than the GOP.

[lastknowngood]

1. Florida is already decided, the shrub's brother and his gang

will steal as many votes as are needed, and if that's not enough remember the Repugs in your "state congress" already decided that they can direct the states electoral votes to *hole anyway. They said they would do it in 2000 and you can damn well bet they haven't gotten any closer to believing in the democratic process.

[DAGDA56]

3. They'll try to steal it again, but...

...it will have to be a theft in broad daylight. CNN asking to see the list of "felons" being taken off the voting rolls is one example. I live in Seminole county (next up from Orlando) which is still a Repub stronghold...but good news from the Sentinel is important, as the paper usually leans so far to the right, it often falls over.
Edit to say "Welcome to DU, JFW!"

[teryang]

5. Actually that plan is completely illegal

It's illegal on its face. It's in violation of a federal statute that prescribes that the means chosen for appointment of electors in a presidential election are set in stone by a date certain. The state legislature can't change the rules after that date. They can set the rules but they can't change them after the fact. If they have chosen an election process for appointment of electors by law, there is no alternative process, (not at the state level).

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. this is very good news.........

i hope they can register enough new voters to offset the impending purge. and i also hope the groups who are registering these new voters have a solid plan for getting these folks to the polls come election day. btw, thanks for this very encouraging article.

welcome to DU :hi:

[Justice]

4. Excellent News

[newyawker99]

6. Hi JFW!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: