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Monday, November 03, 2008
Watauga Early Voting, Final Numbers
One-Stop Early Voting = 17,783 voters
Mail-in Absentee ballots = 1,107
Overseas ballots = 15
Military absentee = 37
Sorry, no analysis from us at this hour, but at least one thing is plenty obvious: the virtual tie between Rs and Us in Early One-Stop Voting.
Dem 6,676 ... 37.54% of the total
Rep 5,568 ... 31.31% of the total
Una 5,506 ... 30.96% of the total
Lib 33 ... .00185% of the total
Mail-in Absentee ballots = 1,107
Dem 294
Rep 571
Una 242
Overseas ballots = 15
Dem 4
Rep 6
Una 5
Military absentee = 37
Dem 7
Rep 21
Una 9
Sorry, no analysis from us at this hour, but at least one thing is plenty obvious: the virtual tie between Rs and Us in Early One-Stop Voting.
Labels: early voting in North Carolina, Watauga County
Republican Campaign Consultants Predict Obama Win in NC
CAJ Consultants, a Matthews-based Republican firm, has issued a report based on voting trends established during the Early Voting period in NC. Their prediction: Obama will take NC with 51% to McCain's 48%.
The report, which was distributed via e-mail last night in a PDF file, is authored by Alan Michael Teitleman and Justin William Moore. Teitleman was once upon a time president of the College Republicans at ASU and has been active with the state Republican Party and as a legislative aide for Republican members of the state legislature. Moore is also a former president of the ASU College Republicans, was an Alternate Delegate to the 2004 Republican National Convention, and has been a volunteer for many Republican candidates including Elizabeth Dole for US Senate and Virginia Foxx for NC Senate.
Highlights from the Teitleman/Moore analysis
Final Early Voting Numbers, from 11 p.m., Saturday:
Early Voting Difference, 2004 to 2008:
CORRECTION
Alan Teitleman informs me that he is now registered Unaffiliated.
The report, which was distributed via e-mail last night in a PDF file, is authored by Alan Michael Teitleman and Justin William Moore. Teitleman was once upon a time president of the College Republicans at ASU and has been active with the state Republican Party and as a legislative aide for Republican members of the state legislature. Moore is also a former president of the ASU College Republicans, was an Alternate Delegate to the 2004 Republican National Convention, and has been a volunteer for many Republican candidates including Elizabeth Dole for US Senate and Virginia Foxx for NC Senate.
Highlights from the Teitleman/Moore analysis
● Early Voting in 2008 saw a 300% increase over Early Voting in 2004
● 14.5% of eligible voters voted early in 2004, compared to 41.3% in 2008
● in 2004, 48% of early voters were Democrats; in 2008, 52% were Democrats
● in 2004, 37% of early voters were Republican; in 2008, 30% were Republicans
● Teitleman and Moore believe that more than half of the final NC turn-out has already voted
● going into Election Day tomorrow, Obama and Democratic candidates down-ballot should have a minimum advantage of 128,863 votes from Early Voting
● Teitleman and Moore are projecting total turnout in NC at 4.6 million, approximately 74% voter turnout
Final Early Voting Numbers, from 11 p.m., Saturday:
Dem 1,325,226 (51.50%)
Lib 1,644 (0.06%)
Rep 774,147 (30.08%)
Una 472,189 (18.35%)
Early Voting Difference, 2004 to 2008:
Democratic voting is up 2.9%
Republican voting is down 7.32%
Libertarian voting is negligible
Unaffiliated voting is up 4.45%
CORRECTION
Alan Teitleman informs me that he is now registered Unaffiliated.
Labels: Barack Obama, CAJ Consultants, early voting in North Carolina
Friday, October 31, 2008
Forsyth Elections Board Psycho-Drama
The Forsyth County Board of Elections voted 2-1 this afternoon to extend early voting on Saturday until 5 p.m. The picture to the left is from today in the Forsyth County Government Center, where voters waited literally for hours to vote. Forsyth County has been a poster child for obstructionism, opening too few voting sites for one of the state's most populous counties and then initially signaling that it had no intention of extending hours tomorrow ... until the State Board of Elections threatened the three Forsyth board members with expulsion.They voted 2-1, but that hardly sums up the drama.
The board chair, Democrat Eric Elliott, denounced the state Board of Elections for essentially doing its job in trying to ensure ballot access for all citizens. But as Elliott put it, the State Board of Elections was interfering in a process which Elliott clearly believes is his alone to dictate ... interfering and trying to intimidate the local board. Right!
The lone Republican on the Forsyth board, Jerry Jordan, denounced the state Board and called their requirement to extend voting hours "unconstitutional" and "un-American," but (get this) "then surprised people by voting in favor of the extension."
That man's got principles! Although it was "un-American" to extend voting hours, Jordan voted for the extension, because (he said) "GOP officials thought longer hours would help their party."
We've seen a lot of nakedness this political season, but Mr. Jordan's naked partisanship in voting for something he considers "un-American" is just too precious!
There needs to be a house-cleaning in the Forsyth County Board of Elections. You betcha.
Labels: early voting in North Carolina, Forsyth County Board of Elections
Forsyth Board of Elections
The state Board of Elections ordered the 100 county boards of election to keep early-voting sites open for an extra four hours tomorrow unless local officials unanimously decided that it is unnecessary.
And what does the Forsyth board do? It says it will vote at noon on Saturday, just an hour before all the early voting sites are due to close. In other words, it might vote to extend voting hours only after there can be little or no public announcement.
That the Forsyth board is trying to suppress the vote is crystal clear. Why is the $64,000 question.
Or make that the $10,000 question, if you choose to listen to Rob Coffman, the county's elections director. Coffman works for the elections board, mind you. He is not in charge but is clearly a large part of the problem down there. He whined to the W-S Journal that the extended hours would probably cost about $10,000.
The Forsyth board never opened enough early voting sites for one of the most populous counties in the state and have shown a callous attitude all along toward ballot access for the citizenry.
UPDATE
Even as we were posting this item, breaking news came in that the State Board of Elections has ORDERED the Forsyth board to make a decision today.
Sounds like a plan to us! Then fire the elections supervisor!
That Board chairman -- an alleged Democrat, mind you! -- needs to find new work, and his continued employment -- also, mind you! -- is entirely up to the local Forsyth Democratic Party.
And what does the Forsyth board do? It says it will vote at noon on Saturday, just an hour before all the early voting sites are due to close. In other words, it might vote to extend voting hours only after there can be little or no public announcement.
That the Forsyth board is trying to suppress the vote is crystal clear. Why is the $64,000 question.
Or make that the $10,000 question, if you choose to listen to Rob Coffman, the county's elections director. Coffman works for the elections board, mind you. He is not in charge but is clearly a large part of the problem down there. He whined to the W-S Journal that the extended hours would probably cost about $10,000.
The Forsyth board never opened enough early voting sites for one of the most populous counties in the state and have shown a callous attitude all along toward ballot access for the citizenry.
UPDATE
Even as we were posting this item, breaking news came in that the State Board of Elections has ORDERED the Forsyth board to make a decision today.
...the state told the local elections board this morning that it must meet today at noon to act on extending the voting hours or else face the removal of one or more local elections board members by state action.
Sounds like a plan to us! Then fire the elections supervisor!
The local board has faced pressure in recent days to make more early voting sites available or otherwise make it possible for more people to vote early. However, the local elections board has declined to alter the voting arrangements.
By a 2-1 vote on Tuesday, the board decided against distributing a handout to voters reminding them that a straight-party vote does not cast a vote in the presidential race.
That Board chairman -- an alleged Democrat, mind you! -- needs to find new work, and his continued employment -- also, mind you! -- is entirely up to the local Forsyth Democratic Party.
Labels: early voting in North Carolina, Forsyth County Board of Elections
Early Voting Hours Extended on Saturday
Just received this news ... that the Watauga County Board of Elections will extend Early Voting this coming Saturday (which is the last day for Early Voting) until 5 p.m. at one site only, the County Courthouse. The other four sites will close at 1 p.m., as previously scheduled.
Labels: early voting in North Carolina
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Watauga Early Voting Numbers
These are from yesterday, so they're moving up even as we type:
● about 14,500 Watauga citizens have voted so far at the county’s five Early Voting stations, with three days yet to go, as compared to roughly 10,000 for all of Early Voting in the 2004 Presidential election.
● some 5,311 had voted at the Appalachian State University student union Early Voting station.
● it is still conceivable that 20,000 Wataugans will have voted early by the close of Early Voting this Saturday at 1 p.m.
● breakdown by party affiliation of those 14,500
● about 14,500 Watauga citizens have voted so far at the county’s five Early Voting stations, with three days yet to go, as compared to roughly 10,000 for all of Early Voting in the 2004 Presidential election.
● some 5,311 had voted at the Appalachian State University student union Early Voting station.
● it is still conceivable that 20,000 Wataugans will have voted early by the close of Early Voting this Saturday at 1 p.m.
● breakdown by party affiliation of those 14,500
Democrats 5,600
Republicans 4,600
Unaffiliated 4,300
Labels: early voting in North Carolina
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Latest Early Voting Numbers (Statewide)
Turnout so far:
Total Votes: 1,192,156 (out of a total of 6,202,721 of registered voters)
% of turnout so far: 19.22%
Differences from 2004 to 2008:
Dem 655,937 (55.02%)
Lib 624 (0.05%)
Rep 331,578 (27.81%)
Una 204,017 (17.11%)
Total Votes: 1,192,156 (out of a total of 6,202,721 of registered voters)
% of turnout so far: 19.22%
Differences from 2004 to 2008:
Democrat voting is up 6.42%
Republican voting is down 9.59%
Libertarian voting is negligible
Unaffiliated voting is up 3.21%
Labels: early voting in North Carolina
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
NC Early Voting
Early Voting in North Carolina, as of 9:30 a.m., 10/21/08:
Differences from 2004 to 2008:
Democrat: 270,216 (56.12%)
Libertarian: 232 (0.01%)
Republican: 131,813 (27.37%)
Unaffiliated: 79,206 (16.45%)
Total: 481,467 votes cast (out of 6,172,871 voters in NC)
% of turnout so far: 7.80%
Differences from 2004 to 2008:
Democratic voting is up 7.52%
Republican voting is down 10.03%
Libertarian voting is negligible
Unaffiliated voting is up 2.55%
Labels: early voting in North Carolina
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Numbers From the First Two Days of Early Voting
Democrat: 174,578 (53.80%)
Libertarian: 141 (0.004%)
Republican: 93,135 (28.70%)
Unaffiliated: 56,632 (17.45%)
Total: 324,486 votes cast
Total: 6,172,871 voters in NC
% of turnout so far: 5.26%
Libertarian: 141 (0.004%)
Republican: 93,135 (28.70%)
Unaffiliated: 56,632 (17.45%)
Total: 324,486 votes cast
Total: 6,172,871 voters in NC
% of turnout so far: 5.26%
Labels: early voting in North Carolina
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Whew
Scene from an early-voting poll site on the campus of UNC-Charlotte today. Winston-Salem also reported a line when the polls opened there at 8 a.m.In Boone, somewhere over 500 voted today. Don't have the exact numbers yet, but they're unprecedented.
Early voting doesn't start on the ASU campus until Monday.
Labels: early voting in North Carolina
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Deluge Coming
Bob Hall of Democracy North Carolina is warning of voter gridlock in North Carolina come November 4 -- based on statewide voter registration growing to nearly 5.9 million as of last week. Hall is urging county boards of election to add more early voting sites and to have extra staff and voting machines ready for election day itself. Otherwise ... expect long lines and "a horrible traffic jam."
The Watauga County Board of Elections is ahead of the game. There will be five early voting sites in Watauga, instead of the usual two, and we understand that the one at the Boone mall will offer extended hours into the evening. Early voting will begin on Thursday, October 16.
Incidentally, "Democrats have added eight times as many voters as Republicans since the beginning of the year, Hall said. He noted that there are fewer registered Republicans today in 15 counties than in January, including Durham and Orange."
The Watauga County Board of Elections is ahead of the game. There will be five early voting sites in Watauga, instead of the usual two, and we understand that the one at the Boone mall will offer extended hours into the evening. Early voting will begin on Thursday, October 16.
Incidentally, "Democrats have added eight times as many voters as Republicans since the beginning of the year, Hall said. He noted that there are fewer registered Republicans today in 15 counties than in January, including Durham and Orange."
Labels: Bob Hall, early voting in North Carolina, voter registration, Watauga County Board of Elections
Saturday, June 28, 2008
More Early-Voting Stations in Watauga
We hear that there will be a total of five early-voting polling stations in Watauga County come October 16, when North Carolinians can begin casting votes in the general election this fall.
We hear talk that there will be new early-voting stations at the Boone Mall, at the Western Watauga Community Center, and on the Appalachian State University campus, in addition to the two stations that have been used for several election cycles at the Agricultural Conference Center and in the Board of Elections office in the County Courthouse.
We hear talk that there will be new early-voting stations at the Boone Mall, at the Western Watauga Community Center, and on the Appalachian State University campus, in addition to the two stations that have been used for several election cycles at the Agricultural Conference Center and in the Board of Elections office in the County Courthouse.
Labels: early voting in North Carolina, Watauga County
