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Democratic and Republican Campaigns Staging Separate Election-Night Parties in S.D.

The San Diego chapters of the Republican and Democratic parties plan separate celebrations after the polls close tomorrow night. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.

Democratic and Republican Campaigns Staging Separate Election-Night Parties in S.D.

The San Diego chapters of the Republican and Democratic parties plan separate celebrations after the polls close tomorrow night. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.

The place to be on election night in San Diego is usually Golden Hall downtown, where campaigns from both sides of the isle congregate to watch the results come in. But with the focus on presidential primaries and state wide propositions, the campaigns are staging their own separate gatherings this time round.

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The San Diego Republican party is hosting an event for republican officials statewide at the Westgate Hotel. State Republican Party chairman Ron Nehring, is from San Diego.

Nehring: We expect election night in San Diego to be the biggest Republican event in San Diego since the recall election night in 2003. We are seeing the same level of interest among Republican voters surrounding this primary election.

Thirty-nine percent of San Diegans are registered Republicans, 34 percent are registered Democrats.

Jess Durfee, Chairman of the local San Diego Democratic Party, says Democratic campaigners and supporters will gather at the Eagles Lodge on Center Street in Hillcrest after the polls close. 

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Durfee: And we're really billing it as a unifying event. We want the Clinton folks there we want the Obama folks there because there is a very good chance that we will know that night who the nominee of our party is, and if that's the case, we want to start building unity so that we're working together toward November.

Durfee says though the local Democrat Party in San Diego is less well funded than the local Republican Party, it has grown from an all volunteer organization to having three full time staff in the last three years.

Alison St John KPBS News.