DPO registration drive on anniversary of war

The Democratic Party of Oregon is utilizing the impact of the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq War in order to remind Oregonians to take part in the historic neck-and-neck race between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

“John McCain has pledged to keep America in Iraq for 100 years,” Meredith Wood Smith, DPO Chair said.

“The only way we can end the Iraq War is to elect a Democratic president,” said Wood Smith in a statement.

The party is thus kicking off its “Statewide Voter Registration Drive To End The War” today at noon at Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland.

Wood Smith must be pleased with the numbers cited today in the Register-Guard, which found that from Feb. 1 through last Thursday, 7,318 Oregon voters reregistered as Democrats — including 2,644 who had been Republicans.

The Oregon Republican Party however, secured 1,426 party switchers, of which 596 had left the Democratic Party.