Luzerne County Republicans picked up 2,123 more registered voters the last two weeks, while Democrats lost 504 in that period, according to the latest figures.
County Election Director Marisa Crispell provided the updated count Monday — the last day to register to vote in the April 26 primary.
However, Crispell cautioned she doesn’t expect a final tally until April 8 because workers must process an influx of mailed registrations that will continue arriving the next few days.
A steady stream of more than 100 residents appeared at the election office in the county’s Penn Place Building in downtown Wilkes-Barre Monday to register, she said.
The office also received more than 500 mailed applications Monday alone, she said.
As of Monday, computerized records showed the county has 105,413 registered Democrats and 66,736 Republicans, she said.
Crispell reported two weeks ago that 1,258 county Democrats had switched their voter registrations to Republican since Jan. 1, compared to 412 during the same time period in the 2012 presidential primary.
In comparison, 212 county Republicans had switched to Democratic registrations since the start of the year, she had said.
Many attribute the boost in Republican registration to interest in Republican presidential contender Donald Trump and heavy mass media coverage of the Republican race.
