April 7, 2008, 2:59 pm2 Philly Counties Flip to Democratic Party
History is being made in the suburbs of Philadelphia.
The four suburban counties have long been Republican strongholds, with more Republican voters than Democratic ones. The last time there were more Democrats than Republicans seems lost in the mists of time.
But a new day is here. Voter enrollment in both Montgomery and Bucks Counties has flipped from Republican to Democratic.
The registration deadline was March 24, and tens of thousands of new registrations flooded in, from both new voters and party switchers. Elections officials have been counting them since, and posting the changes in drips and drabs.
Today, the new tally in Bucks shows 185,413 enrolled Democrats, compared with 181,941 enrolled Republicans.
In Montgomery County, the new tally shows 245,209 Democrats, compared with 238,208 Republicans.
While both counties have been voting Democratic periodically for more than a decade, the registration figures have not reflected that trend until now.
“We’re pretty excited,” said John Cordisco, chairman of the Bucks County Democratic Party and a candidate for state treasurer. He said that previous registration drives had created momentum for the change but that “disgust” with the Bush administration and excitement over this year’s Democratic presidential primary had accelerated it. He said he thought the last time Bucks was Democratic may have been the 1960s.
The campaigns of Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton undertook intense voter-registration drives in the suburbs, and across the state. Signing up new voters was a particular strategy for Mr. Obama, who has also sought to appeal to independents and Republicans.
Check out scenes from Barack Obama's visit to Montana.
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