Posted on 11/01/2008 6:43:08 PM PDT by Red Steel
PANAMA CITY — For better or worse, it's almost over.
On Saturday Republicans and Democrats took to the streets to urge voters to make it to the polls during the final day of early voting.
Republicans waived signs on street corners along 23rd Street while Democrats walked door to door talking to voters and driving some folks to election sites.
McCain is a "proven, tested leader whom we can trust," said Margaret Tidmore, a GOP volunteer. She added that Bay County drivers show the volunteers a lot of support.
"We're in God's country right here," Tidmore said. "This is the Bible belt."
Bay County conservatives are strongly behind the principles on which America was founded, she added.
"We don't need a change in that area," Tidmore said.
The Democrats have had good conversations and bad ones with local voters, volunteers said.
"I've had some really terrible things said to me," said C.J. Aronson, who was preparing to go back out Saturday morning.
Campaign signs for both sides have been stolen or destroyed, officials said. Two Obama signs were burned while they sat on a local principal's front lawn earlier this month and earlier this week someone left a toilet in front of Republican party headquarters. However, the Republicans turned it into an advertisement for their cause by placing a sign on the fixture.
It reads, "Help Joe the Plumber unclog Washington. Vote McCain-Palin."
Aronson said that despite some reactions she still works hard because this election is important.
"We need a change. Senator (Barack) Obama is the one who can bring us that change," she said. This is the first time Aronson, 51, has become involved in a campaign.
"Always in the past I felt like I was forced to choose the lesser of two evils," Aronson said.
Happy Johnson, 24, said he, too, has been inspired by Obama.
"I think we're in a very historic moment," he said.
The turnout might also be historic, said Bay County Supervisor of Elections Mark Andersen.
As of Saturday, about 40 percent of Bay County's 110,739 registered voters have already visited the polls or turned in absentee ballots, Andersen said.
That is already a higher turnout than in 2004 when about 35 percent of Bay County's registered voters voted during the entire election process, he added.
Andersen said a 50-percent turnout for the entire 2008 general election would be great for Bay County.
One factor in the high turnout might have been Gov. Charlie Crist's decision to extend poll hours during the last four days of early voting. About 750 more voters have come to the polls each day during those four extra hours, Andersen said.
The county has seen no signs of voter fraud and has had no major voting problems so far, Andersen said. Voters are prepared when they come to the polls thanks to a sample ballot that was sent out just before early voting began, he added. It is currently unclear how many of the early voters were Democrats or Republicans, Andersen said. Or how many went to the polls for the very first time.
"I see a lot of new faces. I hear a lot of people saying this is the first time they are voting," Andersen said. "I congratulate them."
"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
I’m predicting McCain will carry Florida with 53%. Florida is a part of the solid south and will not go for Obama.
I’m predicting McCain will carry Florida with 53%. Florida is a part of the solid south and will not go for Obama.
We will be reporting for duty East of TAFB when the polls open!
vob
Last weekend I drove from Panama City to Tampa via Hwys 98/19 and noted that McCain/Palin signs outnumbered Obama/Biden signs by probably 100:1 if not more. I was also surprised by the overwhelming number of McCain/Palin signs in Tampa alone, expecting it to be heavily for Obama.
My hosts in Tampa went to early vote on Saturday and tagged along to the courthouse where there was a good turnout even though no one is typically in downtown Tampa on a Saturday. There I saw no voters with McCain pins, shirts, etc., but did see a fair amount of Obama gear on voters in line.
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