When I say "leading votes," I mean ballots from registered Republicans vs. ballots from registered Dems. So the actual number of R ballots picked up and turned in is 1,000 greater in CO than the number of Dem ballots. Now, in theory, ALL Republicans can vote for Obama, but the traditional numbers are that about 89-90% of Republicans vote R, and so far about 87% of Dems (in polls) said they'd vote D.
That means that not only do the Republicans have an advantage in actual ballots turned in by R voters, but they almost certainly win the differential in R and D ballots.
This is before we even get to the Bradley Effect.
The point is that the Obama campaign was putting so much credibility in the notion that it would turn out oodles of "new" voters who would vote early out of sheer delight. Ain't happenin.
Thanks for the explanation. Clears a lot up for me.