Hows TURNOUT by you?

[undeterred]

Turnout looks heavy in heavily Democratic Madison Wisconsin. :patriot:

[sui generis]

1. last week driving by the courthouse every day it was PACKED

for early voting. It's usually something like under 100 people a day . . . .

last week people were circling the parking lots and waiting in a line that wrapped out the fire exits.

It warmed the cockles of my shriveled black heart.

[DaveJ]

2. It's always light here...

...but I think our polling place is pretty specific to our neighborhood. There's never been a line.

[William769]

3. So far where I live, very heavy.

Not necessarily good news.

[deadparrot]

4. Well, I'm on a college campus, and I went fairly early (8:30),

so it was pretty empty. One person was voting when I walked in, but no one was in line. When I turned in my ballot, the scanner said I was #22. I'm glad I got it out of the way early, though, because I'm sure it'll fill up later in the afternoon. :)

[melm00se]

6. @ 630A in Wake County, Raleigh, NC

my precinct was busy busy busy...

[loudsue]

48. That's a good sign, since it's raining!!

I'm in the next county over, but I voted early.

I'm REALLY glad to hear the turnout was heavy.

[Richard Steele]

73. Same here in Durham! Turnout running equal to '04, even with the rain!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

5. I drove up too the elementary school where I vote and it was strewn with

cars. I was gleefully anticipating the largest turnout ever! When I went into the gym where I vote, I was shocked, as it was empty. It seems that although school was closed, there was a teachers meeting there today.
I was the 83rd in my district to vote, and that was at about 9AM.
This is in upper Westchester County, NY, where there is a hotly contested Congressional Race. John Hall, my candidate is opposing bushbot Rep. Sue Kelly.

[China_cat]

11. It was about the same when I went to vote

but the poll workers said it had been packed from opening up till about half an hour before I got there (which would be the time most people would need to be at work...South Carolina is not known for enforcing the rule of allowing employees time to vote). They expect it to be really busy again during lunch hour and after work.

The rain isn't helping any.

[zanne]

17. Some of the old folks claim that rain is good for Democrats.

When I was a kid, my parents were glad if it was raining on election day, because it was supposed to mean good luck for Dems.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

24. I've heard that too. It's overcast here and forecasted to rain tonight!

I hope that counts!

[PrimeRibGuy]

41. Not to be a cynic, but

it rained all day for the '04 elections. Maybe it was just a sign of the times!

[zanne]

47. Don't bring common sense into this.

How inappropriate! :hi:

[Nia Zuri]

77. My Dad always said black people don't vote when it rains...

Growing up, voting was a big deal to my parents. They used to get dressed up to go vote. Looking back, I think it might have been that they were afraid of being turned away...they came from Jim Crow south (Alabama). Makes me sad to think that they had that mindset...sadder still that it is going on today.

[July]

7. NJ-07 -- light.

I couldn't find a parking spot during the 2004 election. This time, parked right in the firehall's lot, was out in 5 minutes. I'm hoping this means in this fairly R district that people are staying home.

[bumblebee1]

8. Just got back from voting.

There was quite a line to get into the polling place. We have two tables representing two different townships. My township's table was empty, so I got in to vote right away. They had trouble with the voting machines, so they went to a paper ballot. Yes, we received a receipt when our ballots were scanned.

[two gun sid]

9. Slightly heavier turnout this morning in my precinct...

which leans repug. The last time I saw turnout this heavy Clinton carried the precinct.

[flamin lib]

10. Early voting was down 3% from last off year election here in Texas.

Hopefully that is an indication that the Republicans are staying home. Texas is pretty red ya' know.

I'm heartened by the number of phone calls I got from Democrats. Robo calls from Bill Clinton, many candidates, and GOTV volunteers. I must have gotten a dozen calls--and made a few myself!

The most intensive GOTV I've seen!

[DinahMoeHum]

12. It was relatively light when I got there this morning, however,

a poll watcher I knew told me it was pretty crowded at the opening 6 am to 7:30am (I got there 8 am)
Early morning commute crowd and all that. The same situation will occur after 5:30 pm when the after-work crowd comes in.

No problems to report, but then again, my area uses the lever machines with paper trail.

Here's hoping for a blow-out in New York state.

:kick:

[sarge43]

13. Looked heavy here in WherethehellisThornton NH n/t

[zanne]

18. My brother has a cabin in Thornton!

I stay there pretty often. I love the General Store!

[sarge43]

23. Five degrees of separation kicks in.

Which GS, Campton's? We have several around cheer.

[zanne]

43. It's the Campton Cupboard! nt

[sarge43]

57. Well then, we've probably stood in line together.

By the way, if you ever want to see a classic general store, next time you're here, check out the one in Bath. It's damn near 200 years old.

[lazyriver]

14. I was one of the first few through the door

I'm at the southern edge of Northern Maine (it makes sense to the locals)and there was a steady stream of people filing in right behind me. We generally have a good turnout and it is tough to say if it's red or blue in a typical year...lots of gun-lovin' Pukes in the more rural area where I live, but many progressives closer to the towns. People don't wear their political views on their sleeves around here but I've been hearing a good deal of "time for change" themes in conversations lately. This is not going to be a "typical" year.

[MidMichiganBuckeye]

15. Michigan District 05 - Very Heavy

I am in a little town of 1600, 1200 who are of voter age. At 9 am this morning, I was ballot number 414...1/3 of voting age people had already voted! Our house seat is safe (Dale Kildee), but Granholm and Stabenow are in nasty little fights with some real scumbags. Lots of women, and lots of union guys voting, from what I saw, as well as elderly. Not much talking so it was hard to judge the mood.

[gollygee]

26. I was voter #355 this morning

A year ago I was around #150 when I voted in the afternoon.

[Pathwalker]

16. Record turnout. "Busiest I've ever seen" said every

poll worker. In 2004 I was voter # 67, this year I was voter # 156 (and #157 due to the machine not taking my ballot). HUGE turnout!

[Blue Diadem]

19. DH said heavier than usual for mid morning (rural small town Ohio)

I'll be voting during the real busy time..after work when daughter and I go together. DH said they seem to have more machines this time and that the printer paper can now be seen through the little window when you hit the print page button.

[soothsayer]

20. moderate to heavy in Dem Northern VA (not as heavy as a

presidential race this morn, but heavier than I expected, I'd say)

[Zynx]

27. Good to hear. That race is dependent on a big NoVA vote.

[Javaman]

21. It's amazing here in my office. People who have never voted are

walking around proudly displaying their, "I voted" stickers on their chests.

I can only hope that asshole perry gets his ass handed to him in a surprise. I can dream.

[CBHagman]

22. Lines at the polling place in Montgomery County, MD.

I've never had to wait this long to vote before. Usually there's just a short line, or even no line at all. I don't know whether it's turnout or the change from punch cards to touch-screen voting or some other factor. I tend to think it's turnout, because touch-screen voting has been around here at least since 2000.

[gollygee]

25. Very heavy turnout, but I live in a conservative precinct

I did see several Jennifer Granholm stickers in the parking lot though.

[undeterred]

28. I hope the conservatives are having an attack of conscience

for what they've done to this country.

[Homer Wells]

56. I am not really sure

if Conservatives have a conscience. Mostly in it for themselves, so why bother their beautiful minds with things like guilty consciences?!

[William Bloode]

29. I have been twice so far.

Very early, it was moderate, that was like 7am. Went again around 9am and it was heavy, and it's been raining all morning. I'll be going back later when more folks get off work, i'll take a gage then. My mom came by a bit ago and she said her precinct was packed when she voted.

[undeterred]

31. Vote early and often?

That's what we used to say in Chicago. :evilgrin:

[William Bloode]

32. Lol!

Nah, i made a couple trips taking folks to the polls from my apartment complex. I vote early Saturday ;)

[onenote]

30. Jim Webb's precinct: very short line

I'm in the same precinct as Jim Webb. This morning, at 8:45, there was only one person in line ahead of me. Quite the contrast from 2004, when the line was 40 or 50 people, stretching all the way down the hall (and around the corner) in the school where I vote.

It will be interesting to see what the totals are. I was the 221st person to vote. In 2004, more than 800 votes were cast in my precinct.

[Beelzebud]

33. Pollworker told us that it was the busiest midterm in memory.

[Tiggeroshii]

34. Dwindling in very conservative San Bernadino County...

[dave29]

35. Austin Tx, Central... HEAVY

no problems - ladies running the station were talking about how heavy and unusual the turnout is. Also said early voting was much higher than usual.

:)

[Jennos20]

60. Did you vote at UT?

I early voted and the line was pretty long.

[dave29]

63. nope - a bit north of UT

a wide variety of voters from 20-80. Was nice to see :)

[Norquist Nemesis]

36. It's going to be interesting looking out my window later today

Around here, there is usually a surge that begins around 4pm. I can see the polling place from my front window. So far, I'm seeing a steady stream. Good sign! :thumbsup:

[Greybnk48]

37. Voted last evening at Appleton City Center WI 8th

I had to wait about five minutes in line. I've voted early before and I never had to wait. I'm waiting to hear a report from my son as to the turnout at our local voting place.

[lectrobyte]

38. In N. Raleigh, my SO went before work, reports it was a lot less

crowded than expected -- we stood in lines for 90 min. or so in '04. I am going after work.

[marions ghost]

67. Since there are a lot of Republicans

in North Raleigh...maybe some stayed home? (Trying to be optimistic)...of course there was no Senate race so maybe that's it.

[The Count]

39. Higher than usual in NYC

according to poll workers

[choie]

40. Kinda light in my NYC district...

But that's no surprise, considering the races here are such a foregone conclusion it's almost amusing. This is a highly Dem district, and we're sweeping the major races in New York State by a large margin -- governor, attorney general, comptroller, senators, all Democrats. So it didn't shock me to see that even at lunchtime, the lines weren't very long.

Doesn't stop me from voting or encouraging other NYers to vote. If I wasn't feeling well or had other things to do, I think it might've been tempting to stay home. But how can you beat the feeling you get after voting? Best of all, we use the old-fashioned lever machines here, which makes voting an active, empowering act -- as your arm makes that sweeping gesture and you hear that satisfying "clunk" noise as the votes are recorded, you really feel like you're making your physical mark on democracy! It's a rush like no other.

(BTW, I voted for the straight Democratic ticket except for Hillary. Just couldn't stomach pulling the lever for her. I didn't vote for her opposition, of course -- I just didn't vote for senator. Weak but it's the only statement I felt I could make.)

[Horse with no Name]

42. I don't know exactly

because for some reason, someone skipped a line in the log and that is where they had me sign in.

[CanonRay]

44. Heavy in Fremont County, CO. Lot of confustion about where to vote.

[Left Is Write]

45. So far so good.

I went out at about 9:15 this morning, and the polls were hopping. My husband is there now, and he'll let me know how the lunch crowd was.

Forgot to add: Ada County in Idaho (Boise area).

[michreject]

46. heavy-nt

[LeftCoast]

49. SF, CA - Heaviest turnout I've seen in my 5 years at this precinct

Every booth filled and a line. Poll workers said it'd been like that all AM.

[KurtNYC]

50. I went early - 8am - it looked fairly light in Manhattan

That is the same time I usually vote and turnout was pretty light.

A nice 50YO machine with levers btw.

[watercolors]

51. We vote in a small rural area

it was gerrymandered for Feeney, it was not busy. I asked how it has been going and was told not really busy . It is a repug area, so I'm hoping that means they are not voting. We were in and out in less than 10 min. Good ole paper ballots!

[upsidedown]

52. My husband and I were the only voters at the polling place

and this was around noon.

[SouthernBelle82]

53. Pretty good here!

In my district my mother and I went to vote around 11:30-12 noon and there was a good bit of people there. One of the workers told my mother while we were waiting they had lots of people show up. So the rain isn't keeping anybody away today. :bounce:

[Mugu]

54. Voted at noon with no problems.

The poll workers said that turnout has been unusually heavy.

Regards,

Mugu

[5thGenDemocrat]

55. I voted at 2:10 pm

My ballot was number 364 -- which is considerably heavier than you'd expect from this precinct in a midterm election.
John
Precinct 14 (Saginaw City, MI) is about 75 percent Democratic, BTW.

[newportdadde]

58. Kansas City MO, Red Suburb turnout very light 6:45am - like Aug primary light.

Nobody there this morning walked right up got my ballot was like the primary in August. Might have been two others voting. In 2004 at the same time I had to wait in a 25 foot long line.

I think discouraged Republicans coupled with not have a gay marriage ban on the ballot is resulting in low voter turnout for the RW. Will have to see what my wife says when she votes this evening.

Bad news was that my ink ballot had to be tucked into the provisional ballot area as the machine that normally takes them had broken.

[belladonna]

59. It looks like there might be record turnout in Southwest VA

I actually had to stand in line when I voted this morning and that NEVER happens. The local news says voter turnout is at least 6 to 7 times what it was in the 2004 election. Now I just hope it's Democrats turning out in record numbers. :scared:

[WernhamHogg]

61. Very light

In all fairness, I went at about 10 AM. This is the time of day I usually go to vote and I have never had to wait since I've lived here. I am in Fresno :puke: . My husband is going to vote after work so I'll have to ask him how the lines were, but I'm hoping that the Repukes in this heavily Repuke area are staying home.

Edited to add: I noticed that there were FAR fewer voting booth this election than there were in previous elections.

[pdxmom]

62. Mail-in ballots in Oregon were at around 40% on Sunday. The

secretary of state is estimating, based on previous elections, that the folks that drop off ballots here in Oregon will pull the turnout up to about 71%. That's HUGE for an non-presidential year.

[FatDave]

76. Hell, that's huge even for a presidential election

At least in most parts of the country it is, I can't speak for Oregon.

[pdxmom]

87. We generally have a pretty good turnout around here...higher than

most.

Everyone should have vote by mail.

[sentelle]

64. Kitsap County, WA

Per http://www.bainbridgebuzz.com/content/view/1349/76
they are reporting 57,000 ballots out of 133,484 have been returned.
Kitsap county is an all vote-by mail county.
It straddles WA-1 (north) and WA-9 (south).
north is Liberal, south is Military.

[dog_lovin_dem]

65. Heavy voter turnout

at my polling place. The poll workers were amazed by the number of
voters this morning. I'm in Southeastern IL,(Crawford County), and the polling place is about 1/4 mile south of my house. There's all kinds of traffic today!

[wildwww2]

69. Crawford County, my hometown of Robinson is there.

Good to hear that the turnout is heavy. I hope that it is heavy on the Democratic side.
Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President

[krabigirl]

66. Hard to tell...so many people here in SoCal (OC) vote absentee.

I'll drive by my local polling place after work to see if there are any lines.

[babydollhead]

68. Pittsburghers! Check in...lets meet up!

over 200 in Edgewood at 11:00

[Chimichurri]

70. Northern NJ - Heaviest I've ever seen for a midterm election. NO parking

[porphyrian]

71. At my precinct in Tallahassee around 10:30 AM...

There was just enough people present to keep all the stations in use. However, that was about a 600% improvement over the turnout for the primary, so it's a good thing.

[FatDave]

72. Seemed pretty heavy in De Forest WI

This morning at 8:15AM I waited in line for 20 minutes. I'm just NE of Madison in De Forest, WI. Lots of first-time voters too, judging from the questions people were asking.

[Stephanie]

74. NYC - busiest I've ever seen

lines to vote - much busier than primary day - AND I was exit-polled by CNN

[longship]

75. Low in SoCal, Inland Empire.

No lines this morning at 10AM.

This precinct is very heavily immigrant Mexican. I'm not sure what goes on, but the turnout is always low.

[LittleClarkie]

78. Heavier than usual in usually Republican New Berlin Wisconsin

Though not exactly jammin'. Just better than usual.

[undeterred]

86. They're voting for Bryan Kennedy

some of them choosing a Dem for the very first time.

[terrya]

79. The poll workers here in my precinct in Chicago said it's been steady.

Which tells me that it's a pretty good turnout. :-)

[Wednesdays]

80. I stopped by 3 different precincts today

One was light, one moderate, one very heavy.

Well, actually there were 4 precincts but two of them were at the same location...both moderate.

Edit to add: Oklahoma City area.

[Atheos_Prime]

81. Texas Voting

Heavier than I have ever seen it in my 25 years of voting. waited over an hour to vote.

[City Lights]

82. I was voter #241 at 8:10 this morning.

When I went past my polling place around 2:30 pm, the parking lot had lots of cars in it. :bounce:

:patriot:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

83. It reminded me more of a presidential, rather than mid-term election

Turn out was huge today in my prescient but I don't know if early voting was down, up or flat yet.

[Eric J in MN]

84. Decent turnout at my precinct. NT

NT

[kerry-is-my-prez]

85. A lot of Dems I called voted or said they were going to vote....

n/t

[demo dutch]

88. Heavy turn out in S.E Florida= Dem areas. 60% is predicted, I checked

the on-line early voting rolls from Dept of elections and for my county it showed an overwhelming amount of Dems. Sunday was the last day 7000 people voted.