Some of the excitement over the Democratic presidential primary seems to have seeped over into the other side. Figures released by the secretary of state last week suggest that some Republican voters are switching registration to Democrat or unaffiliated.

Kanawha County Clerk Vera McCormick, a Republican, said the GOP has actually lost about 45 voters in her county since January, while the Democrats gained more than 1,600 voters in that time. Also, more than 1,000 independents have registered since January.

In Berkeley County, where Republicans outnumber Democrats, two-thirds of the ballots cast in early voting so far have been on the Democratic side.

Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has been urging Republicans to switch registration in primary states to prolong the contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

But state Democratic Party Chairman Nick Casey said he doubts that's behind many switchovers in West Virginia.

Casey and McCormick both say there are more contested Democratic primaries, offering more choices for voters.