Tarrant County Democratic Voters Outnumber Republicans at Early Voting

By Faith Chatham - DFWRCC - Feb. 21, 2008 - Updated Feb. 22, 2008
More Democrats cast early ballots during the first day of early voting at every Tarrant County early voting site. Democratic Primary voters exceeded the the number of Republicans voting even at sites which normally draw more Republican early primary voters than Democrats. County wide 5733 Democrats voted early on Tuesday while only 2605 Repubicans voted early.

Both parties have exceeded the number of voters participating in their primaries during the first and second days of early voting in the 2000 and 2004 Primaries. This year, larger numbers of Democrats are voting than Republicans.

Democratic turnout at the five Arlington early voting sites exceeded Republican turnout for the first time in decades. In Arlington, known as a "Republican stronghold", 1033 votes were cast the first day of Early Voting in the Democratic primary while only 496 Republican votes were cast. County wide, 5,733 Democrats voted early the first day; 2,606 Republicans voted early in Tarrant County on Tuesday.

Heavy Democratic voting trends continued on the second day of Early Voting with Democratic voters exceeded the number of Republican Primary voters at all Tarrant County Early Voting sites. On Wednesday Feb. 20, 5603 Democrats voted early; 2583 Republicans cast early ballots. During the first two days of early voting 11,336 Democrats voted early and 5189 Republicans voted early.

By the second day of early voting, Tarrant County Elections reported a total of 2,146Democratic Primary mail ballots had been received and 1,982 Democratic Primary Vote by Mail ballots were still unvoted; 536 Republican Primary voters have returned Vote by Mail Ballots; 849 Republican Vote by Mail ballots remained to be voted at the close of the second day of Early Voting.

At the close of the second day of early voting 15,464 Democrats had voted early (in person and by mail) and 6,574 Republicans had voted early. Democratic voters still have over twice the number of VOTE BY MAIL Ballots out than Republican Primary Voters.

Tarrant County Elections reports show early voting sties in Arlington, noted as a predominately Republican voting city, registered consistently high Democratic turnout at all five early voting sites during both of the first two days of Early voting. At Bob Duncan Community Center 550 Democratics voted; 204 Republicans voted. At Arlington City Hall 504 Democrats voted early; 225 Republican voted early. At Elzie Odum Recreation Center 325 Democrats voted early; 128 Republicans voted early. At the Arlington Fire Training Center 185 Democrats voted early; 113 Republicans voted early. At the South Service Center 581 Democrats voted early; 288 Republicans voted early.

In 2000 in Tarrant County more Republicans voted early than Democrats during the first two days of Early Voting; In 2004 more Democrats voted early during the first two days of early voting than Republicans. However, this year a much higher percentage of Democrats are voting early than in 2004.

DAY 1 EARLY VOTING
Tarrant County - 2000:
Democratic Voters: 372 - Republican Voters: 105
Tarrant County - 2004:
Democratic Voters: 464 - Republican Voters: 387
Tarrant County - 2008:
Democratic Voters: 5,733 - Republican Voters: 2,606

DAY 2 EARLY VOTING
Tarrant County - 2000:
Democratic Voters: 558 - Republican Voters: 2,519
Tarrant County - 2004:
Democratic Voters: 372 - Republican Voters: 105
Tarrant County - 2008:
Democratic Voters: 5,603 - Republican Voters: 2.583