White voter registration in Ga. dips below 60 percent

For the first time, white voters in Georgia will make up less than 60 percent of all “active” registered voters in the state, according to statistics just released by Secretary of State Brian Kemp.

White voter registration, which stood at 63 percent in 2008, has dropped to 59 percent of the 5.3 million signed up to cast ballots in this year’s presidential contest. African-American registration stands at 30 percent, just as it did in 2008.

The difference comes from the growing pool of voters who decline to identify themselves by race, or describe themselves as something other than white, black, Asian-Pacific, Hispanic-Latino, or Native American. That group grew from 3.6 percent in 2008 to 8 percent today.

The decline of the white vote in Georgia has been slow but steady. In January 2001, whites made up 72 percent of registered voters; in January 2007, they were 67 percent. Blacks in 2001 made up 26 percent of the electorate, and 27 percent in 2007.

As a whole, the number of registered voters is up 3 percent over 2008, when it stood at 5,198,971 . Here’s a demographic breakdown of the Georgia voters eligible to pick the next president, vote on a proposed constitutional amendment on charter schools, and elect two members of the Public Service Commission next Tuesday:

– Black female: 946,510

– Black male: 658,870

Combined black vote: 1,605,380 (30 percent of registered vote) (30 percent in October 2008)

– White female: 1,683,715

– White male: 1,484,820

Combined white vote: 3,168,535 (59 percent) (63 percent in 2008)

– Asia-Pacific female: 37,840

– Asia-Pacific male: 34,504

Combined Asia-Pacific vote: 72,344 (1.3 percent)

– Hispanic-Latino female: 49,934

– Hispanic-Latino male: 41,786

Combined Hispanic-Latino vote: 91,720 (1.7 percent) (1.4 percent in 2008)

– Native American female: 1,056

– Native American male: 841

Combined Native American vote: 1,897 (.03 percent)

Other voters: 413,137 (8 percent) (3.6 percent in 2008)

Total: 5,353,013 (up 3 percent over 2008)

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

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203 comments Add your comment

Buymadeinusjobs

October 30th, 2012
9:22 pm

Why does Rommey say 2 trillion more for Defense to police the world if there is no American Taxpayer money for Americans to have during crisis or for rebuilding America. I am sick of paying for unpaid for wars and rebuilding other countries with middle class taxes. Rommey is talking sweet now to get votes about staying out of wars. Look at his advisors- Bush war mongers, Go see what he was saying when he was hanging around with his friend Netanhayu, Israel, what he said during primary debates, previous speeches. Do not believe what politicians say just before elections when they are after your vote. check what they did in past, how many good paying manufacturing jobs has Rommey/wealthy created in USA??? Action speaks louder than words. They took tax cuts Republicans gave them. That is why they are buying your vote for Republicans. What has Republicans done for you.??? 41% of Georgians fit under Rommey’s 47% he scorned in his video. see c-span 5/14/12. Do you know what entitlements are?? medicare, tricare, medicaid, food lunches, food stamps etc Are you ready to take care of grandma/disabled when she cannot get in nursing home because Ryan’s budget cut medicaid, white guys who are unemployed/low paid workers, how will you get healthcare for your kids, medicaid pays for that. Does any of your family receive food stamps, can you afford to feed them?

Georgia , The "New Mississippi"

October 30th, 2012
9:28 pm

I actually like R-money but he scares me with his lack of integrity ( lies ) . He should have stuck to his true beliefs ( whatever they are ) . The GOP base was going to vote for whoever the nominee was anyway so there was no need to try and cater to them just because they are loud and obnoxious . He was an Repub Governor in a Dem state and by all accounts is a very capable man that did an excellent job of taking care of his states business.. I trust Obama’s integrity a lot more then R-money. I think R-money would get more things done but I don’t know what he really would try and do because he has changed his positions so often depending his audience.

Daniel

October 30th, 2012
9:28 pm

J Throckmorton Malcontent is George Clinton and Parliament Fan!!! It’s just good to see the entire State growing in Diversity.

td

October 30th, 2012
9:33 pm

All you libs promising to leave out beautiful conservative state. I hope you are not teasing us because we really do want you and your low test scoring children out of our great state. The sooner the better.

Never doubt that a small group of citizens can change the world

October 30th, 2012
9:34 pm

@Wally

October 30th, 2012
9:14 pm
Obama killed Bin Laden
And a US Ambassador

===========================================

You are a LIAR.

If one is to be called a liar, one may as well make

an effort to deserve the name.

stan

October 30th, 2012
9:43 pm

Wow, less than 60%…..maybe Republicans will actually grow a brain and stop pushing these laws meant to target people who have broan skin and a last name ending in a Z or Vowel

Swoopin

October 30th, 2012
9:45 pm

Love how this was moved from the list of links earlier today to the featured story on the home page.

AJC depends on stirring the racial pot these days. Must be part of their new survival strategy.

Never doubt that a small group of citizens can change the world

October 30th, 2012
9:46 pm

@Georgia , The “New Mississippi”

October 30th, 2012
9:28 pm
I actually like R-money but he scares me with his lack of integrity ( lies ) .

=============================================

A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has

a chance to put its pants on.

The world is watching.

Image what they are saying about Mitt Romney who is a

pathological liar.

“Can this man be trusted?”

What a way to start a presidency being thought of as a liar.

Honesty doesn’t always pay, but dishonesty always costs.

Kris

October 30th, 2012
9:46 pm

@ Gunluvr Dems (democrats) can vote until they’re blue in the face and they’ll never make a difference in a senate or presidential election.

And how many times did the GOP slime vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act….
33 times where they could have voted to do something for the American people…

Thats about 33 times too Many.

OBAMA 2012

Sick & Tired Of Being Sick & Tired

October 30th, 2012
9:48 pm

@RGB……It is real obvious that you get your facts from Fox News……just saying!!!!!

The same folks who want to control women’s rights and claim to be pro-life are the same ones that will yell the loudest when their taxes are increased to provide for those same children…..you can’t have it both ways!!!!…..just saying!!!!!

Don’t buy into the hype and scare tactics folks!!!! I see the whole premise of this article to be nothing other than a scare tactic too!!!!!

Never doubt that a small group of citizens can change the world

October 30th, 2012
9:54 pm

@td

October 30th, 2012
9:33 pm
All you libs promising to leave out beautiful conservative state. I hope you are not teasing us because we really do want you and your low test scoring children out of our great state. The sooner the better.

======================================

The typical CON is a LOW INFORMATION VOTER.

Low information voters, also known as LIVs or “misinformation voters”,

are people who may vote, but who are generally poorly informed

about politics.

Low information voters feel insecure about their opinions

and are easily intimidated by Libs.

Some low-information voters think the GOP nominee is named ‘McRomney’

TRANSLATION:

UNEDUCATED

claytondawg

October 30th, 2012
9:56 pm

The presidential race is not so much a concern to me as both our House and Senate. These are the REAL IDIOTS of government for whom we consistently vote in office. This country’s electorate has “dumbed-down” itself; I’m not ashamed to admit that I am one who has been a sheep to a Congress that has its own agenda and greed in fleecing Americans. The electorate has the ability to change and strengthen this country, and it’s called Term Limits for elected officials. Congress will not have any part of term limits, so it’s up to a smarter electorate to create it.

Biff Clinton

October 30th, 2012
10:02 pm

I am white and left Atlanta in 2007. Why? Racist Blacks and filth and pollution. I moved to an area with white people. Atlanta is the next Detroit. A black infested urban jungle that will decay. Anything blacks touch eventually turns to garbage. Good riddance you can have the once great Southern City it is ruined by blacks, Yankees and political correctness.

Dr Dave

October 30th, 2012
10:07 pm

This is so sad folks…I read in the paper the other day that prejudice has increased in the last 4 yrs..We,re heading for something real bad…This doesnt look good…What are we leaving our kids?

stinky sullivan

October 30th, 2012
10:12 pm

Please. The term white is offensive. Can you please call me a Northern European American? Thank you.

JANICE

October 30th, 2012
10:14 pm

I wish people would not the race issue———-and I mean ALL. I wish there was not a check list for any race/nationality—————————it should not matter who is voting, taking a test etc. We are people and that should be enough!!

GaBlue

October 30th, 2012
10:16 pm

What a pathetic defense some of these alleged women offer:

“My right to make decisions about my own body, and my ability to access necessary health care for my particular set of organs, are simply NOT important… because… because… there aren’t enough good jobs in this economy?” Seriously?

Please do NOT send me your resume!

td

October 30th, 2012
10:21 pm

Never doubt that a small group of citizens can change the world

October 30th, 2012
9:54 pm

@td

The typical CON is a LOW INFORMATION VOTER.

Low information voters, also known as LIVs or “misinformation voters”,

are people who may vote, but who are generally poorly informed

about politics.

Low information voters feel insecure about their opinions

and are easily intimidated by Libs.

Some low-information voters think the GOP nominee is named ‘McRomney’

TRANSLATION:

UNEDUCATED

Let me see if I have this straight. The lowest preforming schools in the state are in Democratic controlled voting district. The children of Democrats score the lowest on the CRCT, GHSGT and the SAT and you are trying to tell all the readers that it is the Republican voters in this state that are uneducated and uninformed.

Tell us some more of your so called truths.

Hiram

October 30th, 2012
10:21 pm

@claytondog
“Congress will not have any part of term limits, so it’s up to a smarter electorate to create it.”

Congress is untouchable until Citizens United is overturned, and Romeny will appoint more insane right wing justices to the Court. The Supreme Court is the most important factor of the election. Electing Romney will insure our government’s conversion to a plutocracy.

Kris

October 30th, 2012
10:22 pm

Janice, I’m with you race statistics and polls…who cares who does what! If you do not have enough statistics, race and polls to prove what you want then you do not have enough race,statistics and polls….what a crock of Malarkey

Mary Elizabeth

October 30th, 2012
10:24 pm

Everyone in Georgia could benefit from seeing the movie version of the Rogers and Hammerstein musical “South Pacific,” which was on Broadway 60 years ago. Rent it on Netflick or find it where you can. It is one of America’s great musicals. It will open hearts and minds as to the waste of racial prejudice in lives. Hammerstein, especially, had an egalitarian vision for our world, which he made come alive through his lyrics, and Rogers (whom I talked with as an 18 year old outside of a Broadway theatre in the summer of 1961) created beautiful, lasting music.

Changing minds and souls in such a positive, entertaining way were the invaluable gifts of these two American icons of musical theatre to our nation and to the world.

Thogwummpy

October 30th, 2012
10:27 pm

Hmmmm….so to read these posts, we’re to believe that abortion is the most important issue for women (which is odd…as I doubt the majority of women are hoping they’ll get abortions in the next four years); or FREE birth control products. Eh…not buying it. Career women want politicians who are not anti-success and openly hostile to the business community [let alone, they wonder about a President who said he considers the private sector to be the "enemy"]. And mothers have concerns about the kind of debt choked nation we’ve become, knowing their children will be slapped with the consequences of the reckless entitlement culture. I dunno, I’m not a woman. Maybe hatred of babies—and the need to kill ‘em (I’m being facetious, for liberals frame their arguments in fabricated “hate” context…so I’m seeing how they like having it tossed in their face….FYI, I’m actually a pro-choice Libertarian conservative; there’s legions of us) is the most important thing on the female mind. But if women want a country where they and their families can flourish and prosper—-then I’m guessing they have a rightful fear of the Party which is growing government into a totalitarian state. LIKEWISE, it’s the pinacle of hypocrisy for Leftards to complain about someone else making decisions about a woman’s body; while endorsing Obamacare…which puts the Federal government in that very role! The priority in this election…ultimately isn’t about abortion. It’s about whether or not Americans will have liberty in our future; or be controlled by an authoritarian Progressive State.

woodrow

October 30th, 2012
10:27 pm

Maybe the white people don’t have anybody to vote for. That’s how I feel. None of the candidates seem to reflect what I would like to see in the government. We have two extremes.

double

October 30th, 2012
10:31 pm

Old people bad about repeating.

MittWho

October 30th, 2012
10:38 pm

Will the REAL Mitt Romney please stand up? This man has changed his views a thousand times. How can anyone vote for him? Who or what are you exactly voting for? Cut FEMA but give more to the military thats not in need. Thank you President Obama for bringing me home from a war that me or my comrades supported! If you want to support us troops, vote Obama Biden!

Hagatha

October 30th, 2012
10:40 pm

I”M MOVING!

Hiram

October 30th, 2012
10:44 pm

thogwhopee,
Were you in td/cc’s “Rush Limbaugh Listening Club” at Kennesaw Jr. College, or have you become sophisticated enough to recite Rush’s insightful political commentary all by yourself?

Top School

October 30th, 2012
10:45 pm

There’s just not enough room in the GEORGIA basement for all those BROWN BABIES.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TopSchoolAtlanta?v=n9mBrrgQOpU&lr=1

td

October 30th, 2012
10:48 pm

Hiram

October 30th, 2012
10:21 pm

” Electing Romney will insure our government’s conversion to a plutocracy.”

Are you trying to tell us the wealthy are not running this country now?

Name us one civilization in the history of the world where the poor controlled the politics of the country?

td

October 30th, 2012
10:49 pm

Hagatha

October 30th, 2012
10:40 pm

I”M MOVING!

Can you please hurry up and get the heck out.

JBarrett

October 30th, 2012
10:54 pm

@OnceARepub and @WorriedRepublican, let other paint you as a closeted democrat but you and I know the truth. I, too, have never voted anything but Republican but am unable to do so this election for the same reasons you stated. As such, I’ve been just about shunned by my family who think that its enough just to be Republican, platform be damned. For a Party who believes in less government intrusion in our lives, I can’t see the justification to be upset about the imposition of the cost of insurance for health care (I’m forced to have car insurance as well) than they are about the government’s intrusion into my bedroom and doctors office. The staunchly right social platform has lost my vote.

jim

October 30th, 2012
10:54 pm

this article is an absurd waste. thank goodness that AJC.com is free.This is race baiting and the writer should find relevant topics.

Sad

October 30th, 2012
10:55 pm

Sad…so incredibly sad. I’ve watched my beloved Gwinnett head downhill for the past decade. It saddens me so much. :(

double

October 30th, 2012
10:55 pm

Romney has a point about leaving debt for our children to pay.If Bush had thought that way,then we would not have the debts we now have.Bill Clinton and Newt worked together.I don’t believe Newt shed a tear during those 4 years.(Not in public at least.)

Kujohn

October 30th, 2012
11:01 pm

To Larry the redneck Who thinks gay people are perverts
But doesn’t think twice about humping his daughter
that’s normal for him an his godly southern values
His motto
Incest is kept in the family

LydiasDad

October 30th, 2012
11:02 pm

Love these idiots who are posting as “former Republicans who’ve seen the light” just so they can bash Romney. It’s so pathetically transparent.

AmVet

October 30th, 2012
11:07 pm

Very bad news for the Lily White GOP…

Great news for Georgia…

Jim in ATL

October 30th, 2012
11:41 pm

Dirty Dog – you are wrong, we are not “all in this together”. It is clear that we are now the Divided States of America and it will only get worse after next Tuesday. Romney was right in that we have whole segments of the population that are leaching off of government because they don’t have the brains or skills to do well enough on their own. Your idea of “being in this together” is that people like me who work hard and do well give up a large portion of our earnings to others who don’t. Well let me tell you something, there are a whole lot of us out there who don’t buy in to your liberal babble and race baiting rhetoric. We see what is happening to the country and recoil from it. Our priority is ourselves and our families not your welfare state.

Atlanta...the next Detroit

October 30th, 2012
11:42 pm

It’s coming. I am out of here as soon as I can.

Atlanta...the next Detroit

October 30th, 2012
11:44 pm

Compare Hiroshima 50 years after the bomb and Detroit. Ask yourself why. We all know why.

Atlanta...the next Detroit

October 30th, 2012
11:48 pm

Hey Jim,

If this house ain’t divided, I don’t know what is. I have said it for a long time now.

Cherokee

October 31st, 2012
12:04 am

Biff Clinton – trust me, you aren’t missed.

The Hammer

October 31st, 2012
12:18 am

Has anyone slowed down to think that the difference could simply be [White] people who refuse to divulge their race? From the article:

“The difference comes from the growing pool of voters who decline to identify themselves by race, or describe themselves as something other than white, black, Asian-Pacific, Hispanic-Latino, or Native American. That group grew from 3.6 percent in 2008 to 8 percent today.”

The percent of Black voters remained the same (30%) and Hispanic voters increased from 1.4% to 1.7%. So, it only stands to reason that some large percent of White voters simply checked “other” or nothing at all when they filled out their voter regisration cards.

Can't Believe It

October 31st, 2012
12:24 am

Was this article written to create turmoil prior to the election? Otherwise what was the purpose???

tyrone

October 31st, 2012
12:27 am

Where the white women at?

Dirty Dawg

October 31st, 2012
12:31 am

Jim…as for people leaching off government, we all at one time or another rely on one another – including government – you’re probably right that there are plenty like you that for whatever reason don’t see it and, I guess, don’t want it. What’re you gonna do? Head for the hills and resort to a survivor mode? Fortunately there are way more that don’t agree with you and will keep working to make it work. Galbraith once said that ‘conservatism’ is merely the search for a better excuse for selfishness…apparently you’ve found it, or simply don’t need an excuse. Tell you what, just stop paying your taxes – taxes that are at an all-time low (certainly in your lifetime) as a percentage of income, by the way – maybe you’ll get away with it for a while even. See if that makes you happy, cause you come across right now as one miserable human being.

Huckaberry Hound

October 31st, 2012
12:31 am

Racial hatred from all sides is getting worse because of Obama and his class warfare rhetoric. This is what Marxist use to pit brother against brother, the sign of a devil. Poor people get jobs from rich people and rich people need poor people for their economic investment but Marxism looks only at classes not the individual. Both democratic and republican parties will cause the next US civil war and its will be bloody, brother against brother over class identity.

Hiram

October 31st, 2012
12:42 am

“You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension: a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You’re moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You’ve just crossed over into… the Twilight Zone.”

strom

October 31st, 2012
1:00 am

Enter your comments here

Gunluvr

October 31st, 2012
3:21 am

@Kris; the Repubs in Congress voted and kept getting the same results. The only time when something is assured to pass without any backtalk is when the NRA wants it to happen. Now that’s real power and political authority.