For The First Time In Modern History, North Carolina Republicans Lead Democrats In Voter Registration

This week, North Carolina’s Republican voter registration surpassed Democrats for the first time in recent memory. The most recent report from the North Carolina State Board of Election 2,312,990 voters are registered as Democrats, 2,315,067 are registered as Republican, and 2,976,558 are registered as Unaffiliated.  Historically, Democrats held a voter registration edge, especially given the legacy of Jim Crow laws, and notably Senator Jesse Helms secured electoral victory with a Jessecrat coalition, Democrats who voted for conservative politicians.  

The trends began to shift in the late 2000s and began in earnest with the Republican’s General Assembly victory in 2010, when there were three-quarters of a million more registered Democrats in North Carolina.  

Notably, Senate Candidate, former Governor Roy Cooper was the de facto leader of North Carolina Democrats during this decline in voter registration. Since Cooper was first elected to statewide office in 2000, Democrats have lost the General Assembly, State Courts, and half of the Council of State.  

 
"North Carolinians are abandoning the Democrat Party because they're sick and tired of Democrats like Roy Cooper who put violent criminals above their safety. Voters will reject Cooper in 2026 and send Michael Whatley to the U.S. Senate to continue delivering wins under President Trump's leadership," said NRCS Regional Press Secretary Nick Puglia.