(The Center Square) – Democrats’ voter registrations surged greater than the unaffiliated bloc over the last seven-day reporting period, say public records of the State Board of Elections analyzed by The Center Square.

Democrats, their major dominance of 47.6% of all registrations in 2004 a far distant memory, as recently as Oct. 3 trailed both Republicans and those choosing independence from any party. In Saturday’s update from the State Board of Elections, the state’s 7,886,108 registrations were divided 40.2% unaffiliated (3,170,362), 29.6% Democrats (2,333,632) and 29.6% Republicans (2,330,391).

The week’s gain of 4,630 included 2,499 for Democrats, 2,357 for unaffiliated, and a loss of 252 for Republicans.

The state’s other recognized parties are the Liberatrian (46,695) and Green (5,028).

Absentee voting for any registered voter requesting a ballot started with the Sept. 4 mailing by county boards of elections, opening the nation’s longest voting window of 61 days. Early in-person voting began on Thursday of last week and runs through Oct. 31. Election Day is Nov. 3, with all absentee ballots due to county board offices by 7:30 p.m. when polls close.

Same-day registrations are available during early in-person voting; otherwise, the deadline to register closed Oct. 9.

The Center Square analyzes the registration trend as part of its mission for reporting taxpayers' views, government accountability, and the intersection at the ballot box that will shape policy impacting Americans across multiple areas.

Voter roll maintenance, standard and as required by state law, and a trend away from parties since Election Day 2024 have continued to swell the independents and weaken the major parties in registration numbers.

Since the primary, the 177,848 net gain in voter registrations has gone 149,152 to the unaffiliated bloc, 19,984 to Democrats, and 8,148 to Republicans.

Since Election Day 2024, the 46,197 net gain in voter registrations has gone 211,626 to the unaffiliated bloc, with losses of 119,115 by Democrats and 16,681 by Republicans.

For additional context, at what is generally considered a landmark Election Day in 2008, the state’s total registrations were 6,264,733. Those unaffiliated numbered just under 1.4 million (22.2%) while Democrats’ 2,866,669 had 45.8% share and Republicans’ 2,002,416 was a 32% share. Barack Obama became the first Democrat since Jimmy Carter in 1976 to carry the state, by a mere 14,177 votes of more than 4.3 million cast, on the way to winning the White House.

Neither Obama nor Carter managed to carry the state in their reelection bids.

The state’s lone U.S. Senate seat in 2008 was won by Democrat Kay Hagan, and the 13 U.S. House seats were divvied up eight Democrats and five Republicans. Democrats are 0-5 in Senate races since.

The Council of State went 8-2 to Democrats. Incumbent Republicans’ Steve Troxler and Cherie Berry remained commissioners of agriculture and labor, respectively. And the General Assembly was 30-20 Democrats in the Senate and 68-52 Democrats in the House of Representatives.

Today, Republicans have won the state in the presidential race 13 of the last 15 contests (1968-present), five consecutive U.S. Senate races (2010-present), and two years ago captured 10 of 14 seats for the U.S. House.

The Council of State is a 5-5 split. On Election Day 2024, the General Assembly majorities were 30-20 Republicans in the Senate and 71-49 Republicans in the House of Representatives.