With Trump as an asset, Democratic voter registration surges [View all]

[kpete]

If you want to glimpse the future of the Democratic Party, look at Riverside County, where the number of registered Democrats surged past the number of Republicans. In an historic shift, a county that was solidly conservative "red" for decades seemed to turn Democratic "blue" overnight.

This unprecedented change is the result of a concerted effort to register and engage as many California voters as possible in 2016. It was made possible by the hard work by community groups, voter engagement organizations, labor unions and the California Democratic Party.

They are building a statewide infrastructure to reach the seven million eligible California voters who have not registered, and they deserve high praise for re-energizing our democracy.

Yet none of this would be possible without one unwitting ally: Donald Trump.

His hate-filled presidential campaign has awakened Californians to the hazards of apathy at the polls. Record numbers of Californians are answering the call and registering. Despite the nonpartisan nature of most voter registration drives, Democratic registration is surging, thanks to the Republican nominee's divisive message.


The Rest:
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_30294373/steyer-trump-an-asset-democratic-voter-registration-surges