archived: 24 - 31 Oct, 2004         Back                 Next

                        TO THE FINISH LINE 

Two polls tell the way to the finish line: 

Democratic Gov. Mike Easley maintains a wide lead over Republican challenger Patrick Ballantine heading into the final week of the campaign, according to a poll. Survey results from 625 likely voters interviewed by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research found 55 percent said they would vote for Easley, compared to 35 percent who would vote for Ballantine. Ten percent said they were undecided. – Mercury News   

The Charlotte Observer endorsed Gov. Easley with a clear statement of the case for retaining him as Governor: 

Gov. Easley met an assortment of challenges with admirable courage. Facing a significant budget shortfall, he raised sales taxes and other levies, seized tax revenues that previously went to local governments and cut parts of the budget to keep it balanced while refusing to relinquish the state's commitment to improving public education. Many of his actions were unpopular -- in some cases rightly so -- but he did keep the state's commitment to progress in education on track while some other states were cutting instructional budgets and letting teachers go. – Charlotte Observer 

The Senate race is a much different story: 

Most polls show the two candidates neck-and-neck — a Mason-Dixon poll released this week has the race tied at 45 percent each, with 10 percent undecided. By all accounts, the race for the seat being vacated by Democratic vice-presidential candidate John Edwards will be a nail-biter. "We always knew this race was going to be tight," said Schorr Johnson, communications director for the North Carolina Democratic Party. "We are absolutely encouraged about where Mr. Bowles stands."—Washington Times 

The North Carolina Senate race could have profound national implications.  Several Republicans across the US are in unexpected trouble.  Democrats are in a fair position to capture a tie in the Senate.  Every vote will count in the Edwards race.   

                        ROBESON COUNTY 

Robeson County Democrats need help on Election Day.  Robeson County could deliver a large Democrat vote.  Some Democrats from Durham, including Ms. Junkie,  have been traveling to that County to both register and turn out Democrats.   

Ms. Junkie reports that Rev. Robert Davis has called for volunteers on Election Day.  Here is the contact information.  

                        Rev. Robert Davis
                        910-734-7359
                        rbob2@aol.com 

Give a day where it can do extraordinary good. 

                        VOTER REGISTRATION 

TPJ has reviewed the latest voter registration numbers for net new registrations since January 2004.  The DEMOCRATS won the effort statewide by some 11,000.  No, not an impressive victory, but given the fact that Democrats had been losing the registration battle, 2004 has been excellent.  

The figures below take into account not only new registrations but cancellations to derive net numbers. The number of new registrations would be reduced by cancellations.   

The Dem Advantage column shows the net Democrat net gain or loss over the Republicans in 2004 registration. 

County

Dem 1/1/04

Oct-04

Change

Rep 1/1/04

Oct-04

Change

Dem Advantage

MECKLENBURG

183855

214262

30407

153574

169607

16033

14374

DURHAM

94930

109397

14467

34293

36862

2569

11898

GUILFORD

130931

143669

12738

91986

98475

6489

6249

WAKE

178495

194251

15756

152502

164292

11790

3966

ORANGE

44655

50013

5358

18969

20896

1927

3431

BUNCOMBE

63613

69962

6349

45042

49123

4081

2268

CUMBERLAND

83263

91860

8597

43777

50669

6892

1705

EDGECOMBE

27716

29421

1705

5873

6246

373

1332

VANCE

18058

19632

1574

3762

4201

439

1135

ROBESON

56471

58214

1743

7167

8012

845

898

HALIFAX

26093

27134

1041

5051

5381

330

711

PITT

46085

49842

3757

24108

27168

3060

697

GRANVILLE

16422

18040

1618

5745

6831

1086

532

WILSON

27285

28538

1253

12751

13514

763

490

WARREN

10763

11459

696

1430

1690

260

436

NASH

30486

32336

1850

19107

20568

1461

389

COLUMBUS

25441

26150

709

5497

5842

345

364

PASQUOTANK

13034

13972

938

4666

5269

603

335

BLADEN

14546

15081

535

2714

2981

267

268

ANSON

11206

11599

393

2085

2246

161

232

SCOTLAND

13039

13658

619

3327

3724

397

222

BERTIE

11782

12094

312

1294

1408

114

198

CHATHAM

18056

19435

1379

9300

10500

1200

179

PERSON

11931

12890

959

4694

5491

797

162

NORTHAMPTON

11550

11772

222

1100

1177

77

145

ALAMANCE

34698

37217

2519

26380

28773

2393

126

HERTFORD

11405

11650

245

1811

1935

124

121

WATAUGA

12701

14204

1503

14874

16265

1391

112

LENOIR

22516

23291

775

7758

8450

692

83

MARTIN

12032

12313

281

2993

3194

201

80

YANCEY

5992

6263

271

4790

4984

194

77

DUPLIN

14864

15345

481

5968

6383

415

66

CHOWAN

5530

5849

319

1944

2224

280

39

SWAIN

5539

5756

217

2797

2995

198

19

GREENE

7059

7316

257

1466

1716

250

7

HYDE

2697

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