From WaPo:
Officials in parts of Virginia have received a record number of absentee ballots, a key barometer of turnout. In Fairfax County, the state's largest jurisdiction, requests for Democratic absentee ballots have more than tripled over 2004. "Saturday was one of our busiest absentee voting days for any election, not just for any primary," said Jackie Harris, the Fairfax general registrar.
This trend is borne out by on the ground reports of huge turnout in the Democratic primary throughout Virginia over at Raising Kaine. I'm amazed how early people get their butts up to vote, but even at the earliest of hours, people are reporting large crowds. They're also reporting far more Dem voters than Republicans (by a 2 to 1 margin in some polling places,) even in red districts. This bodes very well for November.
Of course, this somewhat cryptic update from NotLarrySabato will serve to sober any hopeful Clinton backers:
...based on the emails I am getting, Barack Obama is winning Virginia in an epic blowout.
Turning to Maryland, here's WaPo's take:
In Maryland, Democratic leaders predicted that turnout in the party could reach 1 million voters, shattering the record. Four years ago, about 470,000 Democrats voted in the primary. The record is about 596,000 in 1976, when Jerry Brown defeated Jimmy Carter in the state.
Interestingly, The Baltimore Sun is reporting that at a couple precincts in Obama stronghold Howard County, while excitement is high, turnout appeared lighter than expected this morning.
Early morning voting was a bit more subdued at one polling place in Howard County.Election judges at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center in Columbia were surprised at the light turnout in the first half-hour of operations. Chief judge Art Blume said 38 voters had appeared by 7:30 a.m. and the room was nearly empty.
"When you listen to the news, it's really a spirited race, but you never can tell," he said.
Pearl Atkinson Stewart, another poll judge, said voters have been much more numerous in the past. "It's very light," she said. "In the morning, we usually have a long line out front."
This report is echoed by yellowdem1129 who says that "there is no Obamania in my town," which lies in the heart of Obama's base in Prince Georges County Maryland.
Weather could also very well be a factor. Word is that there is some truly wintry weather in VA, and my friend up in Baltimore reports that he, like many people, won't be voting until after work, which is when "weather is due to get ugly."
Anyone vote today in VA, DC or MD? Care to share your experience?
Update [2008-2-12 13:35:21 by Todd Beeton]:On MSNBC just now, Chuck Todd echoed the high turnout reports in Virginia but warned that he's looking to Virginia to maybe be the one surprise tonight:
The Wilder effect, the 1989 governor's race, [Douglas Wilder] was up by double digits leading up to election day and he hung on by one percentage point I believe it is and he became the first African-American governor of Virginia...It looks like Obama is going to run away with Virginia, you look not just at polling but there are some turnout indicators I've heard about today that make you think he could do very well but that's the one state I would be cautious on.
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