this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2024
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In some far reaches of rural America, Democrats are flirting with extinction. In Niobrara County, Wyoming, the least-populated county in the least-populated state, Becky Blackburn is one of just 32 left.

Her neighbors call her “the crazy Democrat,” although it’s more a term of endearment than derision.

Some less populated counties have fewer. There are 21 Democrats in Clark County, Idaho, and 20 in Blaine County, Nebraska. But Niobrara County’s Democrats, who account for just 2.6% of registered voters, are the most outnumbered by Republicans in the 30 states that track local party affiliation, according to Associated Press election data.

In Wyoming, the state that has voted for Donald Trump by a wider margin than any other, overwhelming Republican dominance may be even more cemented-in now that the state has passed a law that makes changing party affiliation much more difficult.

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[–] lennybird@lemmy.world 74 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

And don't you just love how a Wyoming American citizen's vote is worth 4 California American citizens?

[–] Transporter_Room_3@startrek.website 33 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Sure is great that all that empty land can vote.

[–] lennybird@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah but it's okay because apparently farmers are super-citizens, and that entitles them to having more votes!

[–] nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

In the Senate it's much more than that.

[–] lennybird@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

True! I don't even mind that so much as that was part of the Great Compromise. I just mind that it applies to electing the President, which would be like giving citizens of less-populated counties in a state more voting weight in electing their Governor. Just absurd.

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

It'd be nice to see them merged with Colorado.

[–] ccunning@lemmy.world 57 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

in the 30 states that track local party affiliation

Having to register your party with the state is weird

[–] tacosanonymous@lemm.ee 15 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Pretty common requirement for voting in primaries.

[–] ccunning@lemmy.world 34 points 3 weeks ago

Open primaries work fine.

[–] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

You can also just tick the unaffiliated box

[–] ccunning@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

In my state there is actually no upside to registering your party with the state. It limits your options in the primary.

Unaffiliated voters can vote in either primary.

[–] ApathyTree@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

That’s so.. limiting..

I’m in a swing state and can choose to vote for any single party in the primary. Just one. You can declare a party by filling a bubble on your ballot, so if you accidentally vote somewhere you don’t mean to it doesn’t count (the list is big), and if you don’t do that and vote in more than one none count, but if one party is locked in due to incumbent or something, I can vote for the least bad option in the opposing side. I’m not locked in to anything, and I think I’m still registered as a dem from so so many years ago.

Everyone should have that and it’s so weird that we let states decide that sort of thing.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 34 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

TIL to keep driving through Wyoming

[–] Rapidcreek@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago

90% acceleration state

[–] adespoton@lemmy.ca 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

So how many are officially affiliated as Republicans and vote Democrat?

[–] otterpop@lemmy.world 17 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Deeper in the article it talks about this, it's a lot. It's really the most strategic way to vote in a state absolutely dominated by one party.

[–] billiam0202@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

It can't be that many if the legislature is 90% GOP.

[–] adespoton@lemmy.ca 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Gerrymandering isn’t just at the federal level… although it must be more difficult when everyone registers R.

[–] billiam0202@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

Again, if that was what was happening, the election results would be different. Wyoming voted out Liz Cheney in favor of Batshit McCrazyeyes, so I don't buy the "Dems register as Republicans but secretly vote blue" story.

[–] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

It could. If every district voted 49% Democratic, then entire legislature would be Republicans. That's pretty close to the situation in Texas, where nearly half the voters are Democrats but Republicans have an iron grip on the state government.

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

I wonder if the brain drain is measurable. Meaning, how many children with any potential grow up and then stay in the state?

[–] iamjackflack@lemm.ee 8 points 3 weeks ago

Sounds like a horrible insufferable place.

[–] MediaBiasFactChecker@lemmy.world -5 points 3 weeks ago

Associated Press - News Source Context (Click to view Full Report)Information for Associated Press:

MBFC: Left-Center - Credibility: High - Factual Reporting: High - United States of America
Wikipedia about this source

Search topics on Ground.Newshttps://apnews.com/article/wyoming-primary-democrats-switching-registration-republicans-5954c50500556a36f6664cc0bce2a6d6
Media Bias Fact Check | bot support