70-75% turnout here? (Lancaster, PA)

[JoFerret]

Maybe there is hope for democracy after all.
http://www.lancasteronline.com/pages/news/local/4/9418

On Election Day, the result will likely be a “phenomenal” turnout for the presidential race, locals elections experts say.

As many as 215,000 people — three-quarters of Lancaster County voters — will cast their ballots on Tuesday, said Berwood Yost, the director of Franklin & Marshall College’s Center for Opinion Research.Yost said the turnout for this election may reach the level of the 1968 presidential election. In that race, between Republican Richard M. Nixon and Democrat Hubert Humphrey, 60 percent of eligible Americans participated. Participation of eligible voters dropped to 52 percent in 1972, when 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds first became eligible vote, he said.

Yost said there are many reasons that people are more interested in this election than in past contests. Advertising is only one of them.

“From the economic conditions to the way President Bush took office to the war in Iraq ... there is a whole host of things that generate interest,” he said.

<more>

[freetobegay]

1. Democracy has always depended on the people

Low voter tunout is only the fault of the voters. I hope what you posted is true.

[molly]

2. Isn't that the bible belt of PA?

[IronLionZion]

4. It's Amish country

[bettyellen]

5. amish/ quakers are peaceful- let's hope they vote!!

[Arugula Latte]

6. Wellllll...

There were several articles a month or two ago about how the Bush team was actively courting the Amish, who haven't been big voters traditionally. They said support amongst Amish for Bush was very high because of cultural issues. One article even quoted an Amish guy as saying there was "Bush Fever" amongst the Amish.

I don't know how far the Amish thing will carry the 'thugs, but I don't think this particular high turnout is such a great thing for us.

[enough]

10. Lets not confuse these two groups

The Amish tend to be extremely "socially conservative," while the Quakers tend to be "socially liberal" and concerned with peace and justice issues. (Many exceptions among Quakers, and among Amish too, I'm sure.)

Lancaster county is in general very conservative Bush country. High turnout there is not necessarily good news for us, though you never know who might be voting this year.

At my poll-worker class in Chester County (next door to Lancaster Co.), we were also told to expect a 75 percent turnout.

[molly]

14. I know for a fact that quite a few thumpers live there

I'm not talking about the Amish.

[Tight_rope]

18. I grew up there...beautiful country! Now in Houston...I hate this place!

[JerseygirlCT]

20. It IS beautiful, but also very conservative

I too wonder about how these new registrations are breaking there.

There's probably a small community of more open-minded thinkers due to the college, but it's a small school. Outside the college, I always felt like I was right in the bible belt somehow in PA.

[0007]

3. That's good news

Vote as if your life depended on it, because it does.

Call 866 687-8683
If Poll Workers refuse you to vote for any reason
If there is a late opening or early closing of a polling place.
If your polling place runs out of ballots or has an incorrect ballot
If you experience poll worker insensitivity or discrimination in the voting process

The civil rights community have set up a toll-free Election Day hotline. This line is staffed now and,
in addition to logging your complaint, the civil rights organizations have law students and attorneys
who can provide assistance on Election Day.

The hotline number is
866 687-8683
202 457-0473 fax

When you call the hotline, be prepared to give your name, telephone number, and note as many
details as possible, including the names of the people who are involved.

[aquart]

7. And are there voting thingies to accommodate them all?

[Sinnerman]

8. Most agree 14 Million more Voters this year vs. 2000

That's Good News

[GingerSnaps]

9. Are they all pulling up in Buggies?

Amish country.

[durablend]

11. Don't get TOO optimistic...

I read that the # of registered Republicans are more than double the number of registered Democrats in the county. Now that doesn't necessarily mean they'll vote that way, but keep it in mind that we're still in a minority here.

[Teaser]

13. LAncaster city is big and

has numerous minorities who will vote Democratic.

[flowomo]

12. Republican turnout is always high in these conservative areas....

it's the discouraged Dems who don't vote. If turnout is "phenonmenal," most of the excess will be Dem. But Philly and Pittsburgh must carry most of the load.... they have done it in the past and they can do it again.

[Palacsinta]

15. 26% Reg. Dem. 59% Reg. Rep.

(or there-a-bouts) after a massive new registration drive. That's way up for Dems!

The Amish will be voting on social issues (anti-choice, anti-gay). (Perhaps, if they're voting for Bush, they should lose their CO draft status?)

I live in Lancaster County and just came back from Election Day classes............lots of new info on provisional ballots, absentee ballots, filing complaints etc.

Looks like it will be extremely hard to disenfranchise a voter.........they will get a provisional ballot if no ID, improper ID, not in "Big Book of Registered Voters" etc. etc. However........the vote may not count. It'll be out of my hands (I'm a district inspector) after the voter fills it out. County Board will decide if vote is legit.

[green_fiend]

16. We are going to party...

<>


And then we're gonna party like it's 1699.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

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

[byronm]

19. canvased all day long

lots of die hard republicans voting for Kerry - because they know its right.

They ofcourse don't publicly admit to it..

(did canvasing for moveon)