Strong Turnout for Democrats in Early Voting

[sabra]

Source: CBS News/AP

1st Figures on Early Balloting Show GOP Gains on 2008 Numbers, But Democrats Hold Edge in Some Key States

Election Day is already over for more than 3 million Americans, and a surprising number of them are Democrats.

Republicans clearly are gaining ground in turning out early voters compared with their showing two years ago, but figures from the first batch of states that offer clues about 2010 early voting patterns still give Democrats an edge in a number of states and big counties.

"If people thought the Democrats were just going to roll over and play dead in this election, that's not what we're seeing," said Michael McDonald, a George Mason University professor who tracks early voting nationally. "They've got to be feeling a little bit better with the numbers that they're seeing."

With 30 percent or more of all votes likely to be cast early, both sides are going all-out to lock in supporters' ballots early. And for the first time in a midterm election, they're combining traditional shoe-leather canvassing and get-out-the-vote rallies with technological tools like Facebook and text messaging.

...

While it's impossible to tell for whom people are voting, Democrats so far are casting ballots at a faster clip than Republicans in Iowa, Maryland, North Carolina and Nevada's heavily Democratic Clark County, which supplied two-thirds of the state's voters in 2008.



Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/10/21/politics/main6977597.shtml?tag=stack

[Roland99]

1. Passed an early voting site today here in Orlando. Think I'll head there tomorrow.

[SpiralHawk]

2. "...but, but, but they're all voting for TeaBaglicons (smirk)." - RepuliCorporate Meida (R)

"Smirk." - RepubliCorporatistas

[barbtries]

75. no shit

they're pushing that meme like crazy on npr.

[AC_Mem]

3. Memphis Here

My daughter and I will be early voting tonight. It will give me great pleasure to go to the local hypocritical conservative baptist church who are feeding my grandson such lies about our President (his father's family takes him there) and cast our votes for Democrats :)

PUT IT IN "D" AND GET OUT AND VOTE!

Annette

[revolution breeze]

42. My friend is leaving Washington to come visit me.

She will be here for two weeks. I asked if she had mailed her ballot (their county went all mail in ballots about five years ago). She said no, she could not decide so she would probably skip voting this time. I reminded her people had died to give her that right and being a woman, we had to fight even harder. I reminded her that her mother was the first generation of women to vote in her family and her last vote was for Obama! This morning she told me her voters pamphlet is in her purse to read on the trip driving across country.

[AC_Mem]

62. We voted

I took my grandson, my daughter took my granddaughter to the booths. We voted straight democrat and let the children push the buttons with us.

My grandson asked if we were voting for President Obama again. I told him - "In a way, we sure are honey".

[Cognitive_Resonance]

4. My wife and I voted absentee on Tuesday. It felt really good! Two more votes "in the bank". nt

[ElsewheresDaughter]

56. absentee ballots aren't even opened or counted unless the vote is close. I would never vote absentee

[Pacifist Patriot]

74. Not in my county.

By law, every single vote has to count. I have friends in the Supervisor of Elections office and they darned well count every absentee ballot.

[Enrique]

5. i'm a pissed-off dem voter

and I early voted Monday, the first day it was open. :bounce:

[AlbertCat]

6. More Dems are voting early because....

.... they've made up their minds already. And why might that be? Because the friggin GOP has lost its ever lovin' mind and it is obvious. The bigot vote may not be as big as the Teabaggers thought.

[TwentyFive]

61. Let's Roll!!! Save the country from the Taliban...the AMERICAN Taliban.

It took bravery to say Let's Roll on 9/11.

This time around it takes common sense...but it is no less important of a mission.

[Deep13]

7. I already voted and it wasn't for Republicans. nt

[JDPriestly]

8. I already voted -- for Democrats.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Dems pulled ahead yesterday in early voting totals in our east central Florida county yesterday

Hope it's a trend!

Orange County Republicans, however, have outnumbered Dems so far 3,929 to 3,305.

[damntexdem]

10. I voted Monday, and it was fast and easy.

No line, and I simply had to black out one box to vote a straight Democratic ticket.

Needless to say, I chose the paper rather than electronic ballot, although: (1) I still have to trust that machine that read the ballot, and (2) although the machine retains the paper ballot, allowing for checking, that voters can opt for an electronic ballot means that the entire vote cannot be recounted based on lasting evidence.

[littlewolf]

15. pretty much same here

we had some other things on the ballot ..

a constitutional change ... that would not allow convicted felons from becoming a county Sheriff
and some judges ....

[Iowa]

11. I just voted yesterday, and not for one single Republican. Never have. Never will.

[nyy1998]

12. I'm going today!!!

[CLANG]

13. Voted several weeks ago - Straight Dem Ticket - Fuck the Reps

[thereismore]

14. Roll over and play dead? This election decides whether US goes 200 backwards or not. nt

[Drale]

16. While I think early voting is a good thing

I still like going on election day, I dont know lol maybe its Nostalgia.
.

[Grassy Knoll]

17. Did it Tues. just to cancel a bagger vote. n/t

[creon]

18. How?

How is it known that Democrats or Republicans are voting?
I am registered to vote. No one knows how I vote.

[Grassy Knoll]

54. Look up your county's elections department

In Las Vegas and in Reno they post at the end of the day, but they
leave out Ind. voters for some reason. It shows how many D's and R's voted
but it doesent show HOW they voted.

[creon]

65. How?

How does the govt know that I am Democrat or GOP?
The fact that I voted in a party primary?
My voter registration card does not show a party.

[Grassy Knoll]

67. In some states you can't vote in a primary...

If you don't declare a party, I guess check your states requirements.

[DesertFlower]

19. i'm in arizona. we vote by mail.

our ballot got mailed out 10 days ago.

[katty]

20. yup-i voted early

[The_Casual_Observer]

21. They sure are clinging to the narrative though, aren't they:?

[savalez]

31. Yup. It's sickening. Worse, they started this narrative months ago.

[AsahinaKimi]

22. I hope this turns out well ..

Lets kick some Republican butt..
Voted already.. Lets say goodbye to Meg!

[LaPera]

23. Keep it up! Get everyone you know family & freinds to get out and Vote Democratic!

[oswaldactedalone]

63. And keep reminding them until they do

Drive them yourself if you have to.

[gordianot]

24. My daughter is voting first time, absentee, a solid Democrat.

She is willing to travel 46 miles one way to get this done. A great start toward adulthood.

[DemocraticPilgrim]

25. ...

[DemocraticPilgrim]

26. ...

[DemocraticPilgrim]

27. Good for early votingDems now we got tireless thatelectionday and we're on a roll.

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[pscot]

28. We vote by mail

here in Washington, so there is absolutely no excuse for not getting it done. Your local Democratic organization will help you with the down ballot candidates and issues. My ballot went into the mail Monday and the entire process took about 15 minutes. Do it!

[auburngrad82]

29. My wife and I voted in North Carolina this week. nt

[savalez]

30. I voted mail-in. First time doing it that way.

It was much easier then going in to the voting booth. But I admit I was a bit uneasy about it.

Here's some interesting reading:
http://elections.gmu.edu/early_vote_2010.html

[xloadiex]

32. My family voted yesterday

We were the only 3 in the polling place but it was early in the day.

[laughingliberal]

33. K & R nt

[DFW]

34. Sent in my absentee ballot home to Dallas last week.

Usually a lost cause in Texas, but this time Bill White has a decent chance of sending Rick Perry
back to the loony bin. That alone was worth the price of the postage.

[jsgindc]

36. You have got to see this video and Facebook or send to everyone..

A 2 minute video done by Wisconsin Now....'
It really is the BEST political ad I've seen in a long long time.

It will get you to vote!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImOsg1quVZQ

[RBInMaine]

45. My wife are both voting early by mail in Maine !

[Hestia]

72. Excellent video! Thank's for sharing!

[gkhouston]

78. This should be an OP. n/t

[existentialist]

37. These numbers are encouraging.

I had read something about this on line a few days ago, but this gives more detail (although apparently leaving out Iowa and Wisconsin where I recall something similar was thought to be happening).

While I think it's good that Democrats are voting early, particularly in high population areas, I guess I'm a traditionalist. I plan to show up and vote at the polls on election day.

But my father, who has previously been a swing voter, voted early and Democratic. He's so sick of robocalls that he now hangs up before he even knows who is calling or who they want him to vote for.

Also, for what it's worth, I teach a class at a community college as an adjunct professor. Last night I gave the midterm, and after the midterm, things got relaxed. 100% of the class volunteered that they intend to vote and to vote Democratic. This being Indian country the news is not that those voting intend to vote Democratic, but that 100% of them verified that it is important to them that they vote this year.

This is a rural backwater, and there's only one federal race (U.S House) at issue, but I do think that the Democrat is going to win.

Some sites rate the race as a tossup, but I think we have the advantage here.


If these factors are duplicated nationwide, then I think we'll do better than many expect.

Media reporting notwithstanding.

[creon]

38. make it emphatic

Make it emphatic, vote straight democratic.

get out and vote.

[ejpoeta]

39. that must be those unenthusiastic dems again. i am glad to hear of a strong early vote.

i am looking forward to going on election day.

[revolution breeze]

40. As voter turnout is expected to be high on election day,

I decided, "Heck, it is Thursday, no one else will be at the elections office, I will go be an early voter." Obviously 22 other people had thought the same thing before I did because I was #23 in line at 9:00 a.m. The registrar said there has been an almost steady stream since early voting began.

[jsgindc]

41. Remember, tell your Republican friends that Election Day is Tuesday Nov.9th.

:)

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

43. I just got back from voting...

I could not wait to vote against all the extremists the (R's) have put on the ballot in Colorado.

Ken Buck BOO!
Tom Tancredo BOO!
Cutting our school funding BOO!
restricting Med Marijuana operations BOO!

[RBInMaine]

44. Oh Gee Whiz...What about the "enthusiasm gap"???????

[ProSense]

46. Mike Lux is

inspired.

[krabigirl]

47. CA here, already voted for Democrats.

[Iliyah]

49. I'm walking

to the poll station on November 2 and voting straight Dem here in California. No on 20, 23, and yes on 19.

What I'm seeeing from the constant barriage of media articles stating a Dem HUGE loss is that I think they the GOP thru the corporate media are trying to discourage the Dems from voting. REMEMBER when Dems come out to vote, Dems win and the GOP are sooooo afraid of this.

[Enthusiast]

70. It is their strategy, no doubt...nt

[Plucketeer]

48. Our ballots left here this morning!

On their way to do their part against the onslaught of corporate cash! :grr:

[Scurrilous]

50. K & R

:thumbsup:

[underpants]

51. a George Mason professor said that? that is the bastion of conservative poli sci on the east coast

they are what the University of Chicago is to conservative economics (Friedman).

[oswaldactedalone]

52. It's great that so many are voting early

Have you considered using email to encourage your friends to vote and vote Democratic? I'm not suggesting you spam anyone, but you might consider sending a friendly email reminder to family and friends who may have been reluctant voters in the past encouraging to vote for Dems. If Americans ignore the danger that the Rethugs represent to our country it'll be at our peril.

[ThatsMyBarack]

53. I did that yesterday!

Straight D Ticket! :patriot:

[and-justice-for-all]

55. I voted earlier this week...

I do not think we have as much to worry about as we are lead to believe.

We have President who draws 10 of thousands at a time, and every single one of those people are voting Democratic. Now compare the tea bagger circuses to that....

[TNLib]

57. I thinks dems are voting early because they see that Republicans

have turned into bat shit crazy loons and as horrible as Bush was this batch of repukes seem even worse.

[PinkFloyd]

58. Finally, a peak of sunlight in a dreary year.

All year long I've been dreading the idea of House Speaker Rustface. Maybe, just maybe it might not happen. At least I hope that wacko Angle doesn't beat Reid. I hope all this press scares more Dems into turning out, even though most of us are disappointed. I understand the disappointment with Democrats this year but it could be worse. I'm reminded what Bill Maher said about there being a big difference between a disappointing friend and a deadly enemy.

[Vogon_Glory]

59. I Voted Yesterday

I voted yesterday (Wednesday) at one of the early-voting sites here in Austin, Texas. I concur with many DU'ers (and independents, moderates, and former Republicans) that the TEA Partyin' Republican Party has gone 'round the bend towards utter lunacy.

To any lurking moderates and genuine conservatives out there, today's Republican Party is NOT your father's Republican Party. THAT Republican Party is dead and gone; today's Republican Party has been taken over by the most extreme reactionary elements of the "conservative" movement. If they went any further, they'd venture into neo-confederate, white supremacist, secessionist territory.

I dislike making predictions, but I dearly hope that enough progressive voters turn out at the polls in this election to make the mainstream corporate news media look like a bunch of fools. I'd so very much enjoy watching those people having to eat their words about a TEA Party triumph.


:dem:


:patriot:

[TwentyFive]

60. I'm more fired up than I was in 2008! The expression...Let's Roll...is appropriate!!!

It was used to save the plane from the Taliban...and now we need to use it to save the country from the American Taliban.

[unkachuck]

64. K&R....n/t

[RoccoR5955]

66. I've always said, that when Dems GOTV, they win!

ALWAYS!
One of the reasons that Dems lost the special elections in '09, was because we didn't GOTV.

[Alcibiades]

68. I voted here in Durham

Plus, my mother-in-law is coming to watch the kids so I can finally do some GOTV.

[Trajan]

69. Hah .... I love this story ....

Those who create polls know how to SKEW the 'likely voters' numbers in order to impose a sense of loss among Democrats.

I already voted - Oregon has a great system ....

[glowing]

71. And then u have people like me whommake election day into a holiday

Voting on that day is part of the thrill.... Lol and tradition.

[letterwriter]

73. I voted the first day

My ballot arrived Oct. 4 and I had it back in the mail the same day.

[proud patriot]

76. YIPPEE ! !

:bounce:

[CBHagman]

77. Just voted today in Maryland.

Today is the first day of early voting. The center I visited (before noon today) was not crowded and had no lines, but there were a decent number of people at the voting machines.

Democrats here are getting the word out on early voting, posting notices and handing out information (at Metro stops, for instance). Tomorrow there are going to be some get-out-the-vote efforts, particularly in the area of one of the early voting centers.

[David__77]

79. It would be nice to snuff out the embers of the old "silent majority."

This storm was inevitable given the nature of the society ideologically and culturally. The tide is moving in the right direction, however. What absolutely must emerge from this is a unified, progressive Democratic Party that espouses clearly defined principles defending the general welfare.