Statewide voter registration trends were largely mirrored in the North State, with the number of registered voters falling, according to data released Tuesday by California Secretary of State Alex Padilla.
Both major political parties and virtually all the minor parties lost adherents across inland Northern California’s two main congressional districts. In the first congressional district, considered a Republican lock, both the Republican and Democratic parties each lost roughly 4,000 members compared to a year ago.
Still, Republicans enjoy a clear edge. Just over 41 percent of voters in the district, represented by Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa, identify as Republicans, and about 29 percent consider themselves Democrats.
The trends were similar in the third district, represented by Democrat John Garamendi. There, the number of registered Democrats dropped by about 6,000 compared to a year ago, while roughly 4,000 fewer voters are registered as Republicans. In California’s third, registered Democrats, edge out Republicans, 40 to 31 percent.
The number of voters refusing to identify with any party, a growing trend statewide, fell slightly in the North State. The percentage of voters with no party preference locally is about the same as it is statewide, around 23 percent.
The only party to gain members in both the first and third districts was the Libertarian Party. But the gains, and overall membership are barely consequential. Libertarians make up about one percent of voters in the first district and about three quarters of a percent of voters in the third district.