As tens of thousands gathered Sunday at State Farm Arena in Glendale, Arizona, for a memorial service for Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, voter registration tables at the event saw heavy turnout from prospective voters.
The memorial also served as a reflection of Charlie Kirk’s focus on conservative activism and youth engagement. Turning Point USA volunteers staffed voter registration booths inside the stadium, which saw strong participation. While the group has not released official figures, about 200,000 people registered for tickets in advance, and estimates put total attendance — including overflow crowds — between 200,000 and 300,000, a figure law enforcement corroborated.
Analysts said the turnout could translate into thousands of new registrations, particularly among unregistered conservatives, a demographic Kirk worked heavily to mobilize.
Early data suggest a bump in GOP voter registration following the assassination and memorial. In Pennsylvania, Republicans recorded a net gain of 3,022 registrations in the week ending Sept. 22, including 1,756 voters switching from the Democratic Party. North Carolina and Arizona also reported above-average gains linked to the events, Just the News reported.
Matt Margolis of PJ Media remarked that “Some on the left celebrated the attack.” That reaction has now triggered what’s being called the “Charlie Kirk effect,” a historic wave of Democrats abandoning their party and joining the GOP.
On Sunday, Erika Kirk publicly forgave her husband’s alleged killer during the memorial service. In contrast, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told CNN that if Democrats regain power, they would pursue those “doing the bidding of the Trump administration.”
Observers noted the juxtaposition between Kirk’s message of forgiveness and Jeffries’ partisan remarks, suggesting it could influence political sentiment in ways Democrats may not anticipate, the outlet added.
