Posted on 11/01/2008 9:58:02 AM PDT by Zakeet
It is the last great unknown in a White House battle that has been polled and analyzed for nearly two years -- who will actually show up and vote?
The outcome of the race between John McCain and Barack Obama rests on which unpredictable combination of new voters, young voters, black voters, suburban voters, white voters, Hispanic voters, rural voters and even sporadic voters cast a ballot in Tuesday's election.
Officials in both campaigns are predicting a record high turnout -- and a surge of new voter registrations and the long lines for early voting across the country appear to confirm those predictions.
But uncertainty about the makeup of the new electorate, and whether that high turnout could shatter historic voting patterns or simply reinforce them, casts doubt over opinion polls showing Obama with a solid lead on McCain.
[Snip]
McCain campaign officials said there is no evidence a higher turnout will fundamentally change the makeup of the electorate -- or, they hope, the outcome on Tuesday.
"There is no question that turnout is going to be high," McCain pollster Bill McInturff said, predicting 130 million to 135 million voters by Tuesday -- about 10 million more than 2004 and 25 million more than 2000.
But he said turnout appeared to be higher in all demographic groups, potentially wiping out any advantages Obama gains from an increase in black and young voters.
[Snip]
While there is evidence black turnout has increased, young voters are less predictable ... blacks made up 22 percent of those casting ballots before election day, even though they are just 13 percent of the state electorate.
But young people turned out in disproportionately low numbers, with only 15 percent of early voters under the age of 35. That group makes up 25 percent of the electorate.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Rooters: The polls are useless in this election; McCain may well blow away Nobama; the signs for the Kenyan's aren't all that good right now.
Therefore, after months of declaring Barry the winner, it is now necessary to issue this CYA story in an attempt to preserve any credibility we may left after the election.
Poor al-Reuters. Their socialist muslim terrorist-worshipping candidate from Kenya is going down and they’re starting to see that Obama Osama’s support was never as strong as their propaganda attempted to portray.
I love how they are always under the assumption that all Dems are voting for Obama.
I saw NO Hispanics at the polls, though this area has a large Hispanic population
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
The young voters are still waiting for the numbers to pop up on the screen to tell them where to text their votes to.
Don’t be discouraged or complacent - just VOTE!
When it becomes possible to vote via X-box or text message the youth vote will become a problem.
My daughter just informed me that Obama people are swarming her dorm at NC State, knocking on dorm rooms and telling them to vote for O. She said everyone thinks its creepy. I told her to spread it around that the Obama cult is creepy.
***I saw NO Hispanics at the polls, though this area has a large Hispanic population***
Same thing here in Fort Worth.
We have lots of latinos, but I saw none.
It was almost weird.
A few months ago I didn’t see how I could EVER vote for John McCain. Then I started REALLY reading about just who Obama is. The more I read, the more worried I became. At that point, for me, it all hinged on just who McCain picked as his VP. The pick of Sarah Palin cinched it for me. With Sarah there at least we have real conservative representation. Now, I am ready, willing and EAGER to cast my vote on Tuesday.
And I do NOT believe the polls! Rush’s gut feeling about this race only started changing yesterday. For the past couple of weeks, based on the energy I’m sensing ‘out there’, my personal gut has been telling me we CAN and WILL win this thing.
Do not pay any attention to ANY poll from here on out folks. They want to keep us home! That’s the bottom line.
I think there are multiple thousands, just like me, who have been biding their time, waiting for the only ‘poll’ that means a damn thing....November 4, 2008.... the day we send Barry back to the Senate and John and Sarah to the White House. I want to watch their confusion, consternation and angst, when we WIN!
GO McCAIN/PALIN!
VOTE!
pattyjo
It is surprising.
I’m headed to the mexican market in a moment for BBQ meat, then I’m headed to a BBQ in Ft W!
Maybe we should publish a text your vote number for them so they can get their vote in on 11/4 :-)
When I was college-aged, that would have made me either not vote or vote McCain.
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