Campaign updates on election eve...

REPUBLICAN NUMBERS KEEP RISING -- The final voter registration report for Tuesday's primary has been released by the Secretary of State, and it shows that Republicans have continued to make gains in Ventura County this spring.

As of May 21, the Democrats' edge in countywide voter registration stood at 6,620 voters -- down from 10,657 on Jan. 3. Of potential electoral significance, the Democrats' 5.7 percentage-point advantage in the 26th Congressional District has fallen to just 4.5 percentage points.

The Republicans' gains this year, however, haven't wiped out the ground they've lost since the previous presidential election. Compared to the same point in the 2008 election cycle, Democrats have gained about 2,900 voters while Republicans have picked up fewer than 400. In that year, Democrats made a big surge between the primary election and the general election.

Here are the key figures going into tomorrow's primary: Democrats 38.74 percent, Republicans 37.11 percent.

TURNOUT SO FAR -- Today's report from Political Data Inc. on ballot returns in the 26th Congressional District show that the early turnout breakdown of votes by party is holding about steady. With 25 percent of all mail-in ballots returned (and 37 percent of those considered likely mail-in voters), 45 percent of the 38,989 votes cast so far have come Republicans, 40 percent from Democrats and 11 percent from nonpartisans.

IMPROPER USE OF UNIFORM? -- Ventura blogger Russell Burgos, an Iraq War veteran and UCLA lecturer, has written a stinging critique of a campaign mailer sent by 26th Congressional District candidate Tony Strickland that features a testimonial from retired Navy Capt. Brick Conners, the former commander of Naval Base Ventura County.

Burgos points out that Navy Regulations on the use of uniforms by retired officers states that wearing a uniform is not authorized for political purposes. Specifically, the regulation says, "Retired personnel are prohibited from wearing the uniform in connection with personal enterprises, business activities, or while attending or participating in any demonstration, assembly or activity for the purpose of furthering personal or partisan views on political, social, economic, or religious issues."

STRICKLAND'S CHECKS KEEP COMING -- Strickland had a pretty good week at fundraising last week, FEC reports show.

He took in more than $70,000, most in the form of contributions from members of Congress and conservative PACs, including House Speaker John Boehner ($4,000) and Rep. Paul Ryan's Prosperity PAC ($2,500).

Meanwhile, Democrat Julia Brownley took in slightly over $20,000, led by contributions from AFSCME ($2,500), House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer ($2,000) and $2,000 each from county Democratic clubs in the Conejo Valley, Oxnard and Ojai.

The reports show that independent Linda Parks boosted her campaign with a $10,000 contribution to the campaign from her personal funds on May 25.