Mar 23, 2016 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Intense interest in the presidential race is prompting a surge in new registrations – mostly for Republicans – in Greene County ahead of next month’s primary election.

Elections director Tina Kiger said her department has processed an average of 20 to 50 new voter registration and party affiliation changes each day over recent weeks.

That has led to 309 party registration changes and 131 new voter applications for Republicans. In comparison, there have been only 40 party changes and 92 new voters for the Democrats.

That means Republicans have outpaced Democrats by a total of 308 registrations since Jan. 1, according to county statistics as of Wednesday afternoon.

Democrats still hold a commanding registration advantage over Republicans by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, according to the voter information.

She reminded the public the last day to register to vote in the April 26 primary is Monday.

“Presidential years are the biggest (for registration changes), but not usually this big,” Kiger said during the Greene County Board of Elections meeting Wednesday afternoon.

Kiger said the only other presidential primary that was similar to this year happened in 2008 when Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were facing off for the Democratic nomination for president.

Republicans appear to be motivated solely by the presidential primary between Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and John Kasich because there are few other competitive down-ballot races in Greene County, most notably the 9th Congressional District for voters in the eastern part of the county between incumbent U.S. Rep Bill Shuster and his Republican challenger Art Halvorson.

Democrats in Greene County will have more choices on their ballots. In addition to the presidential primary between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, all Democrats in Greene County will be able to vote for candidates in the primaries for U.S. Senate, attorney general and treasurer.

Kiger is also announced the last day to apply for absentee ballots is April 19, but she is urging people to send in their applications well before that to ensure they’re able to submit their absentee ballots before the April 22 deadline. Absentee ballots must be received in the mail by that April 22 date or delivered in person by the voter to the elections office in the Greene County building. She expects her office to begin sending out the absentee ballots in the mail as early as Monday or Tuesday.

“That’s why we’re making sure to tell people to send them in as quickly as possible because we can’t control the mail,” Kiger said.

Kiger said the elections office is still searching for more poll workers and anyone wishing to help can contact them at 724-852-5230.

Also during the meeting, the elections board reorganized its officers. The board selected Blair Zimmerman as chairman and Archie Trader as vice chairman. Farley Toothman, who did not attend the meeting, was chosen to serve as board secretary.

The board is scheduled to meet again April 7 at noon in the county building.