FROM RED-STATE
Posted at 5:59pm on Nov. 7, 2006
Oddities
By Erick
The exit polling has some oddities in it. Keep that in mind.
First, there appears to be a dead heat in the popular vote, which is actually good for the GOP.
Second, because the ground game for the GOP was played heavily in early voting and absentee balloting, the numbers will skew to the Democrats.
Third, the numbers are close. While some are now privately expecting the GOP will finally run up against history and suffer losses, right now there is good reason to be optimistic.
News from Indiana... Polls ordered to stay open till 8:40pm EST in Delaware County...
3:44 p.m. - Dispute over faulty voting machines heads to court
State Democrats are asking that voters taking advantage of longer polling hours in Delaware County be allowed to cast regular ballots, not provisional ballots.
Chairman Dan Parker of the Indiana Democratic Party responded today after a judge ordered that Delaware County polls stay open until 8:40 p.m. because of technical problems this morning that resulted in delayed openings.
The Republican attorney for the Indiana Election Division has argued that voters in Delaware County must use provisional ballots after the polls close. Provisional ballots are not initially factored into vote totals. They are typically set aside and counted later if necessary.
“I’m calling on Todd Rokita and Republicans to recognize these voters’ fundamental right to cast a real ballot,” Parker said in a prepared statment.
Democrats are arguing that Indiana law does not explicitly prohibit using regular ballots after an extension of the poll hours.
Parker also said there may not enough provisional ballots in Delaware County.
“If there are regular ballots and machines available to be used, voters should not have to vote on a ballot that might not count,” Parker said.