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Early voting sets records (37% have voted in El Paso County, CO)
The Gazette ^ | October 31, 2008 - 4:01PM | PAM ZUBECK

Posted on 11/01/2008 5:15:47 PM PDT by Red Steel

More than a third of registered voters already have cast a ballot

More than a third of El Paso County's nearly 400,000 registered voters took advantage of the chance to vote early, with record numbers casting ballots ahead of Election Day or sending them in by mail.

Voters on long lines Friday that snaked through the lobby of Centennial Hall and past storefronts in The Citadel mall and Chapel Hills Mall praised election workers for how smoothly it ran despite waits of up to three hours to cast a ballot.

The large numbers who voted early were no guarantee there won't be long lines Tuesday, election officials said.

"We've had a record for mail in, a record for early voting," Election Manager Liz Olson said Friday, the last day to vote early. "It would be crazy to think you won't have a lot of people come out" Tuesday.

Olson complimented voters for being prepared to deal with lines and the longest ballot in the state's history.

During waits of up to three hours, voters stood patiently, striking up acquaintances with others waiting in line. Many came prepared with a book to read or with video games to play while others studied their choices on sample ballots passed out by clerk's officials.

A few voters were discouraged enough by the wait to leave, but vowed to return to vote Tuesday

"I actually like the patriotic atmosphere of going to the precinct," said Loretta Eger, leaving Centennial Hall where lines stretched out the back door. "No matter how long it takes, I'm gonna be there."

The prevailing attitude was the wait was worth it.

After moving forward about 10 steps on a two-hour line at The Citadel, Jim Farley said,

"We're rolling."

Brandi Dove, 29, waited for three hours at Chapel Hills before being told she would not be given a ballot because she didn't have the proper identification.

Instead of giving up, the former Arizona resident raced to nearby cellular phone kiosk where she used a computer to print out her bank statement. She got a ballot and voted.

Colorado has seen some of the highest early voting turnouts in the country, according to CNN.

Friday alone, 4,292 voters had cast ballots by 5 p.m. at one of the three early-voting locations, elections officials said. The busiest site was Chapel Hills where 1,527 ballots were cast. The Citadel had 1,392, and Centennial Hall, 1,373.

The final tally was 37,198 early votes - a county record.

In addition, 100,467 mail ballots had been received by Friday afternoon. Combined, the 137,665 ballots represent more than a third of the county's 374,000 registered voters.

The previous early-voting record was 32,065 ballots in the 2004 presidential election.

The previous record for mail-in ballots when voters also could vote at polls was in 2000 with 69,198 returned out of 73,408 requested.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS: co2008; earlyvoting; swingstates
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1 posted on 11/01/2008 5:15:48 PM PDT by Red Steel
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To: Red Steel

good news for this very red part of Colorado


2 posted on 11/01/2008 5:17:40 PM PDT by Pondo
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To: Red Steel

Good ol’ Rozita Swinton country.


3 posted on 11/01/2008 5:19:16 PM PDT by BGHater (The GOP, the new DNC.)
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To: Red Steel

Are there any numbers available about how many Republicans vs Democrats have voted early??


4 posted on 11/01/2008 5:20:01 PM PDT by Bean Counter (Stout Hearts.....)
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To: Bean Counter

“Are there any numbers available about how many Republicans vs Democrats have voted early??”

http://elections.gmu.edu/early_vote_2008.html

Slight Dem advantage in Colorado but very even. Lots of independents so thats an x factor.


5 posted on 11/01/2008 5:21:42 PM PDT by DemonDeac
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To: Bean Counter

Yes as of 4:19 pm, 31 Oct, here it is in PDF format for all of Colorado counties:

http://www.elections.colorado.gov/WWW/default/GoVoteColorado/general_election_transaction_report.pdf


6 posted on 11/01/2008 5:23:28 PM PDT by Red Steel
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To: Red Steel
The voting in El Paso will give McCain the state and it will boost Props 46 and 48 here.

"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

7 posted on 11/01/2008 5:23:51 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Red Steel

Democrat turnout in many areas expected to exceed 125% of voting age population.


8 posted on 11/01/2008 5:25:35 PM PDT by Iron Munro (Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself)
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To: Red Steel

Acorn reports turnout was so heavy that even the dead and cartoon characters came out to vote!


9 posted on 11/01/2008 5:26:04 PM PDT by Nateman (You only have to fool enough of them every two years to plausibly steal the rest.)
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To: Pondo
Colorado seems like it's split in half. Eastern CO is supposed to be conservative while the western part is wildly liberal (ex. Boulder, Longmont). I was working out there (Boulder, Co) in a new data center this past summer for a total of two months...all I saw was Obama bumper stickers. The first McCain bumper sticker I saw was when I was leaving Colorado. Needless to say, that's the only McCain bumper sticker I saw.

RightWingIt.com

10 posted on 11/01/2008 5:26:28 PM PDT by GaryLee1990 (www.RightWingIt.com)
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To: Pondo
I'm going to vote the old fashioned way - stand in line Tuesday. While you're not allowed to wear shirts, pins, etc. for a candidate to the polling place - its considered campaigning within the limits - I will be wearing symbolic red Tuesday as I (probably) stand there in line.

I'd suggest that to everyone - wear red to the polls. A subtle message that we will not be silent.

11 posted on 11/01/2008 5:26:28 PM PDT by CodeMasterPhilzar
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To: Red Steel

Sarah Palin will be in Colorado Spring, El Paso County on Monday.


12 posted on 11/01/2008 5:28:16 PM PDT by Red Steel
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To: GaryLee1990

My son lives in Parker and talks about all the libs at the hospital computer center where he works. I was struck by the number of Californians I met on my last visit, another state that is going to be trouble in a few years for conservatives.


13 posted on 11/01/2008 5:28:40 PM PDT by ohiogrammy
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To: Red Steel; SortaBichy; RanchoStash
Brandi Dove, 29, waited for three hours at Chapel Hills before being told she would not be given a ballot because she didn't have the proper identification. Instead of giving up, the former Arizona resident raced to nearby cellular phone kiosk where she used a computer to print out her bank statement. She got a ballot and voted.

And the endgame: idiot Brandi got home to find out her welfare check auto-deposit to said bank had already been hacked and she'd been sucked dryer than a Helen Thomas body part...

14 posted on 11/01/2008 5:29:16 PM PDT by ErnBatavia (Cuba got "Change"...in 1959)
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To: CodeMasterPhilzar

I am going to wear a blue T shirt that my daughter gave to me. It says Air Force Mom. She bought it for me when she graduated BMT. It will also send a message.


15 posted on 11/01/2008 5:33:36 PM PDT by SHOOT THE MOON bat ("Aggressive fighting for the right is the noblest sport the world affords" Teddy Roosevelt)
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To: CodeMasterPhilzar

I always wait until Tuesday as well as all my family in Florida


16 posted on 11/01/2008 5:34:27 PM PDT by GoMonster (GO)
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To: GaryLee1990

Boulder/Longmont is Central Colorado. Ft. Collins and Loveland are quite conservative. Boulder is the real whack-job spot just north of Denver.


17 posted on 11/01/2008 5:36:24 PM PDT by zorigon
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To: Bean Counter

In El Paso county, Repubs are at 64.87% versus Dems as of 4 PM yesterday. I expect the overall vote in the end will be around 68% to 70% in McCain’s favor when its all done.


18 posted on 11/01/2008 5:38:01 PM PDT by Red Steel
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To: Red Steel
The county in which I live in East Texas (Gregg) has had voting 18% ahead of last election. A neighboring county has been over 35% ahead. We are red, red, red.....I don't see much about this. The turnout surge may well be strongest among conservatives scared to death of Obamunist.

Hank

19 posted on 11/01/2008 5:42:29 PM PDT by County Agent Hank Kimball (OK, I'm all-in. Still don't like McCain much, but they've got me. McCain-Palin '08!)
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To: Red Steel

Any of yous livin in CO, feeling confident?


20 posted on 11/01/2008 5:50:21 PM PDT by SaintDismas (Starting to regret the handle I chose for this forum)
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