Turnout shaping up to be lower than 2008 (and 2004)

AP (Yahoo News) ^ | 11/7/12 | Josh Lederman

[RightGeek]

A drop in voter turnout in Tuesday's election didn't keep President Barack Obama from winning a second term in the White House.

Preliminary figures suggest fewer people voted this year than four years ago, when voters shattered turnout records as they elected Obama to his first term.

In most states, the numbers are shaping up to be even lower than in 2004, said Curtis Gans, the director of American University's Center for the Study of the American Electorate. Still, the full picture may not be known for weeks, because much of the counting takes place after Election Day.

"By and large, people didn't show up," Gans said.

In Texas, turnout for the presidential race dropped almost 11 percent from 2008. Vermont and South Carolina saw declines that were almost as large. The drop-off was more than 7 percent in Maryland, where voters approved a ballot measure allowing gay marriage.

With 95 percent of precincts reporting, The Associated Press figures showed more than 117 million people had voted in the White House race, but that number will go up as more votes are counted. In 2008, 131 million people voted, according to the Federal Election Commission.

[kabar]

You missed the point. The WWII generation was far more conservative than most of the population today. They are dying out and not being replaced in the same numbers. It has nothing to do with virtue. It is a political calculation.

[9YearLurker]

Remember, Snark, Obama had way more votes the last time around too.

Moderate McCain was a much worse candidate than Moderate Mitt, and having the GOP president preside over the financial crisis, pushing massive bank bailouts in response, was a greater obstacle than Sandy—however poorly timed Sandy may have been.

[WVNan]

This is so hard for me to believe after reading so many reports on FR from people on the ground at voting polls. Almost to a person, they reported that the lines were the longest they had ever seen. People waiting hours to vote. Same with early voting. How can this be?

[Shelayne]

Every Christian I know, save one or two (that voted for OBama—though it was about race—UGH) voted for Romney. Our pastor (of a church of over 3000) practically begged us to vote for Romney—without saying his name, but we knew. HE was not alone. I heard it was the same in other local churches, as some Christians were put off and thought they were being accused of being not Christian, if they were Dems. Non-denom evangelicals—not mainline Protestants—are very supportive Israel, and it is a BIG issue to us.

Of course evangelicals are going to get blamed for the loss, siting Mormonism. We’re used to it. We know it will only get worse.

[Tunehead54]

I’m thankful to hear of your experiences. I only want to know who, as a opinion group, sat out the most important election of two centuries.

[trublu]

The landscape has changed. Drastically.

We can nominate strong conservatives who will just get attacked and ridiculed by the Dems and the media. The uninformed voters and those who enjoy getting their handouts will continue to vote for liberal Dems. And we will lose every election by 10 points as minority groups and young voters who have never paid taxes make up a larger and larger percentage of the electorate.

[headstamp 2]

“Or maybe we thought that there was little difference between RomneyCare or ObamaCare, so why bother?

The GOP could have made Healthcare a salient issue for this election but decided not to when they put up Romney.”

As Santorum said, nominate Romney and ObamaCare is off the table as an issue.

[headstamp 2]

“Or maybe we thought that there was little difference between RomneyCare or ObamaCare, so why bother?

The GOP could have made Healthcare a salient issue for this election but decided not to when they put up Romney.”

As Santorum said, nominate Romney and ObamaCare is off the table as an issue.