Democrats looking good in early voting in N.C., Nevada, other key states | McClatchy Washington Bureau

. Democrats are doing well in early voting in eight key states, while Republicans are up in three. Florida’s a tie.

Those findings, from NBC News Data Analytics Lab using voter file data from TargetSmart, suggest the Democratic ground operation is rolling where it needs to be. Democrats are way ahead in North Carolina, Nevada and Ohio, three major swing states. Republicans, though, are up in Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania, also big battlegrounds.

An estimated 17.1 million people had voted as of Thursday, and by Nov. 8, about one-third of all voters are expected to cast ballots.

In North Carolina, a too-close-to-call state, lines have been long daily since early voting began Oct. 20.

One warning about the data: It tells the party registrations of early voters, not the results of their ballots.

Here’s the rundown:

Arizona: Republican 38 percent, Democrat 36 percent, other 25 percent.

Colorado: Democrat 39 percent, Republican 34 percent, other 26 percent.

Florida: Democrat and Republican 41 percent each, other 18 percent.

Georgia: Republican, 53 percent, Democrat 43 percent, other 5 percent.

Iowa: Democrat 46 percent, Republican 34 percent, other 21 percent.

Michigan: Democrat 39 percent, Republican 35 percent, other 25 percent.

Nevada: Democrat 46 percent, Republican 35 percent, other 19 percent.

North Carolina: Democrat 47 percent, Republican 29 percent, other 24 percent.

Ohio: Democrat 49 percent, Republican 40 percent, other 11 percent.

Pennsylvania: Republican 48 percent, Democrat 43 percent, other 9 percent.

Virginia: Democrat 51 percent, Republican 38 percent, other 11 percent.

Wisconsin: Democrat 54 percent, Republican 34 percent, other 12 percent.