Reply #23: NJ: County sets record for voter registration [View All]

[Mnemosyne]

County sets record for voter registration
Interest driven by undecided presidential races in both parties

By THOMAS BARLAS Staff Writer, 609-272-7201
Published: Thursday, January 24, 2008

Contested Democratic and Republican presidential primaries with no clear front runners - but plenty of apparent citizen interest - helped Atlantic County reach a record number of registered voters.

The 159,664 Atlantic County residents who can vote in the Feb. 5 primary eclipses the old record set in the 2006 general election - a gubernatorial election year - by 2,462 people.

"It really jumped after the New Hampshire primary," Atlantic County Superintendent of Elections John Mooney said. "We were swamped with registrations that came in the last week before the (Jan. 15 voter registration) deadline."

Voter registration numbers in Cape May, Cumberland and Ocean counties increased from last year and exceeded the figures for the 2004 presidential election year. Voter registration generally spikes in presidential election years.

Like their counterparts in Atlantic County, election officials in Cape May and Cumberland counties said their offices were very busy.

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/campaign/story/7530494p-7432347c.html