By Associated Press

New state voter registration figures continue the trend of the fastest growing segment of the California electorate registering without any political affiliation.

The data released Monday by Secretary of State Alex Padilla show 24 percent of those registered have no party preference.

The report says California had 17.3 million registered voters in January. Of them, 43 percent were registered as Democrats and 27 percent as Republicans.

Both major political parties have been losing their share of the electorate in recent years as more people register as independents, but GOP registration is falling fastest as a percentage.

Padilla says registration is not keeping pace with increases in the population. Only 70 percent of those eligible to vote are registered.