Why was California turnout so high in 08?

[Skink]

This year all we heard was California hadn't had a role in a generation.

[leftinportland]

1. Because the AP had not called the election the night before...

In 2008 the primary was unusually early...in February.

[Hortensis]

2. They came out in large numbers above all

both for and against Obama.

[grossproffit]

7. They came out for Clinton in 2008 and again in 2016.

[Hortensis]

10. Sure. I would have if I still lived there.

It'd be interesting to know who excited the most haters by what margin, Hillary or Obama. I'd guess Obama might carry that honor, but I really have no idea.

[Zynx]

3. California was very competitive in 2008 and Obama generated really widespread enthusiasm.

Obama wasn't just exciting for 18-29 year olds. He also really excited professional class Democrats as well.

[SFnomad]

5. Obama generated really widespread enthusiasm?

He lost the state by over 400,000 votes.

[Dem2]

20. I think Bernie generated widespread enthusiasm

And he also lost by over 400,000 votes.

[Ace Rothstein]

4. Didn't everywhere have insane turnout in 2008?

[grossproffit]

6. It was held on February 5th in 2008

[taught_me_patience]

8. It was on super tuesday. Way more impact.

[RockaFowler]

16. Yep - it was earlier in the primary season in 2008

[Dem2]

21. Massively important point

That makes this year's CA possibly more competitive than '08.

[One Black Sheep]

9. Hillary ain't no Obama

Democratic turnout has been WAY down this year, across the board. Hillary doesn't inspire people and get massive crowds like Obama did, the only one who did that this year was Bernie. But even Bernie couldn't match Obama in some aspects, like getting massive turnout.

That is why it is very puzzling to see people try and use Obama's unprecedented success as a yardstick for Hillary, because Hillary will be lucky to get a small slice of Obama's enthusiastic voters to go out and vote for her...she just is not that type of candidate. She only excites elderly and retired long time Democrats, not the youth, and not independents, like Obama did, in a massive way.

In short, Hillary ain't no Obama. Far from it.

[grossproffit]

11. She inspires me and millions of others.

[JI7]

14. Hillary WON California in 2008

[woolldog]

15. Yeah but she obviously didn't inspire

Californians the way Obama did....even though she beat him by 400k in a high turn out primary. Oh, wait ...

[justiceischeap]

17. I'm not retired and I'm not elderly

Yet I'm excited about her.

[mythology]

27. This survey is awkward for you

http://www.gallup.com/poll/190343/trump-clinton-supporters-lead-enthusiasm.aspx

Sure Clinton isn't Obama, but Sanders isn't Clinton. I do think that Clinton learned from 2008 and is specifically avoiding the large rallies as those don't play to her strengths. She seems much more comfortable in smaller settings and it's obviously worked well enough to win the nomination.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. It wasn't so high, it's just that this cycle it was low, but not as low as many other States

It's a disappointing outcome of this cycle.

[Agnosticsherbet]

13. We had our primary of Super Tuesday, February 8

Being one of the first primaries raised a lot of excitement.

[Lord Magus]

29. Which is why it's so strange when people claim California hadn't mattered in a long time. -nt-

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. It was in February

the last time... and the AP did play an effect.

That was the last time we had a primary earlier in the cycle, the state just got tired of paying for it, and the parties will not, so there you go.

[pnwmom]

19. That primary was held in February, early enough to play an important part

in the process.

This year, everyone but the most die-hard Bernie people realized that the contest was decided by New York, at the latest. Even Bernie had said that New York was the key race -- till he lost it.

[Recursion]

22. Because it was in February?

Earlier primaries have higher turnout.

[tandem5]

23. hope and change?

[SaschaHM]

24. 8 years of George Bush and Obama vs. Clinton.

Two historic candidates, a despised incumbent, losing 2 elections in a row, and a failing economy.

[tritsofme]

25. Democratic turnout was much higher overall in 2008, since there was a highly competitive contest

between Obama and Clinton.

Clinton v Bernie while much closer than expected, just wasn't particularly competitive, Clinton was always the prohibitive favorite.

[dubyadiprecession]

26. It has already been noted that all the democratic primaries have all had lower voter...

turnout. Even with hillary's supposedly popular opponent, turnout was still down from 08'.

[jamese777]

28. In the 2008 primaries

Barack Obama got 17,584,692 popular votes nationwide and Hillary got 17,857,501.
In 2016 Hillary Clinton currently has 16,001,432 votes with some California Vote By Mail votes still being counted and the D.C. primary yet to go.

[Skink]

30. I know HRC has an enthusiasm problem

But reading the posts after work tonight, and they are all excellent points I am starting to believe this year voter suppression is real. I can't fathom how the major news outlets all had it about 2 points apart and then also we all know about the surge.