Here are some updated statistics with accompanying charts that demonstrate the sad state that the NDP currently finds itself. Over the past 36 years, the NDP has gone from having a membership of near parity with the NEGOP to amounting to less than 1/3rd of all registered voters in the state.
All annual data is derived from the Nebraska Secretary of State Canvas books for general election results except that for 2016 comes from data collected just prior to the recent primary election. What becomes obvious is that the NEGOP has shown a small amount of growth, but the NDP continues its slide to the bottom. Nonpartisan voters will soon outnumber Democrats in this state if something drastic doesn't turn things around.
I believe that the inclusion of the many Bernie Sanders supporters that were, until very recently, registered as Independents may swell the NDP's ranks. However, if the party treats these newcomers with the kind of mindless disrespect that appears to be happening in some places, they will go away and the NDP will continue to rot.
The future belongs to the younger people. They are the ones that will live in the world we create today. Let us old timers step aside and welcome these kids that have a fire in their bellies and a willingness to step up and do the hard work it takes to become a successful party. Too many of today's NDP members have become too soft, with their sense of entitlement to the positions they have held for far too long. It is time to get out of the way and watch the Revolution begin!
Registered Voters by Party Affiliation in Nebraska
| Year | Republican | Democrat | Nonpartisan | Other Parties | Total | R % | D % | Nonpartisan % |
1980
|
424,963
|
376,534
|
54,471
|
214
|
856,182
|
49.63%
|
43.98%
|
6.39%
|
1982
|
416,938
|
362,188
|
52,995
|
0
|
832,121
|
50.11%
|
43.53%
|
6.37%
|
1984
|
454,546
|
386,465
|
61,524
|
91
|
902,626
|
50.36%
|
42.82%
|
6.83%
|
1986
|
435,289
|
359,281
|
55,192
|
0
|
849,762
|
51.22%
|
42.28%
|
6.49%
|
1988
|
435,472
|
378,360
|
65,019
|
138
|
878,989
|
49.54%
|
43.04%
|
7.41%
|
1990
|
449,335
|
374,023
|
67,221
|
0
|
890,579
|
50.45%
|
42.00%
|
7.55%
|
1992
|
464,955
|
389,102
|
97,144
|
194
|
951,395
|
48.87%
|
40.90%
|
10.23%
|
1994
|
456,399
|
365,872
|
97,050
|
0
|
919,321
|
49.65%
|
39.80%
|
10.56%
|
1996
|
502,038
|
384,887
|
127,894
|
239
|
1,015,058
|
49.46%
|
37.92%
|
12.62%
|
1998
|
521,137
|
390,776
|
144,183
|
255
|
1,056,351
|
49.33%
|
36.99%
|
13.67%
|
2000
|
537,605
|
392,344
|
153,088
|
2,180
|
1,085,217
|
49.54%
|
36.15%
|
14.31%
|
2002
|
543,935
|
381,991
|
152,874
|
4,744
|
1,083,544
|
50.20%
|
35.25%
|
14.55%
|
2004
|
544,979
|
378,157
|
157,021
|
7,685
|
1,087,842
|
50.10%
|
34.76%
|
15.14%
|
2006
|
573,016
|
370,724
|
187,060
|
7,622
|
1,138,422
|
50.33%
|
32.56%
|
17.10%
|
2008
|
558,308
|
393,468
|
195,459
|
10,110
|
1,157,345
|
48.24%
|
34.00%
|
17.76%
|
2010
|
549,011
|
380,252
|
212,461
|
333
|
1,142,057
|
48.07%
|
33.30%
|
18.63%
|
2012
|
558,145
|
374,075
|
228,361
|
3,290
|
1,163,871
|
47.96%
|
32.14%
|
19.90%
|
2014
|
559,364
|
357,835
|
235,922
|
5,719
|
1,158,840
|
48.27%
|
30.88%
|
20.85%
|
2016
|
564,721
|
359,829
|
233,410
|
7,411
|
1,165,371
|
48.46%
|
30.88%
|
20.66%
|
