Biggest Voter Turnout In 90 Years, Since Women Won The Right

Americans turned out at the polls in record numbers today.

According to MSNBC:

Americans were voting in numbers unprecedented since women were given the franchise in 1920. Secretaries of state predicted turnouts approaching 90 percent in Virginia and Colorado and 80 percent or more in big states like Ohio, California, Texas, Missouri and Maryland.

Though the exact numbers won't be determined until all the votes are counted in the next few days and weeks, a history-making high percentage of Americans voted, according to CNN and the Wall Street Journal:

More than 30 million voters had already cast ballots before Tuesday in early voting. Nearly 100 million more were expected on election day. Hundreds of thousands of voters waited from long before daybreak or for hours on end to make their choices known.

Michael McDonald, a politics professor at Virginia's George Mason University, predicted nearly 65% of the electorate would have voted by the time all polls closed -- matching or eclipsing the turnout in the presidential election of 1960 featuring candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Not since 1908, when the U.S. was convulsing through a shift from the machine party politics of the 19th century to the free-for-all of modern campaigns, has so large a proportion of Americans participated in a presidential election.

Comments

[Juanmanuelsotoarg]

we need a new voting rights act...now is the time to get one...look at the mess in Missouri, the attempts at caging, etc...and we need early voting in every state!!

[LemonMeringue]

Some people need to do some time in jail. And there should be a few $500,000 fines for individuals.

[SeanGardner]

That number was driven largely by the Obama Campaign's aggressive Get Out To Vote effort. And indeed, it paid off.

If there is one thing that will ring true after this election, it is that Republicans will NEVER, EVER, EVER demean, diminish, dismiss and deny the importance of "community organizers". From Palin to Romney to Giuliani to McCain himself, Republicans went after Obama's community organizing bonafides, and now they're the ones with egg on their faces.

Aggressive community organizing is sexy, and apparantly it wins elections.

[lisalovesamelie]

I am so proud that my traditionally red state of Florida has turned BLUE!!!! Glad to turn my red state blue!

[CabSavvy2008]

Colorado too! We are a blue state this year! Blue for Obama, Blue Governor, 2 Blue senators, and 5 out of 7 blue representatives..... Just awesome

[maryhaze]

NH too, blue clear across the state!!!!!!!

[jlc0426]

I too am a Floridian, who is extremely proud to have turned blue, especially for this historic election.

[LiberalUnderYourBed]

Isn't Florida R u s h L i m b a u g h's home state?
I'm going to tune into his show today just to take delight in hearing him melt down.

[beantowner]

I wish with all my heart that Arizona could have joined you in your new blue standing. It looks good on ya! :-)

The race was tight here, though, so much progress has been made. Congrats to all of us!

[Independent voter]

I'm so proud of all of us and so very happy.

Sadly, the redneck state that I live in couldn't quite get with the program - but at least this put an end to the stupid notion that MO is a bellwether. I found so many closet racists campaigning here - they're not overt about it, but all use codewords, like he's a moooslim etc. Shameful idiots

[somell]

I threw my legs in the air- literally. No we really do '"hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created..................................."

[SMatthews]

Regarding the red states of the South: with a few exceptions the numbers for Obama were huge by comparison to the past although he did not win those states. This is amazing progress less than 35 years after the Voting Rights Act and the official end of segregation, and all of us should celebrate that. To everyone: don't assume a vote for McCain was a racist statement as opposed to a vote for the Republican ticket as a matter of course. But to the extent that it was -- in any red or other state-- I would say to those voters that this first day after the election is your moment, this is your time, to join the rest of the country and lay the rebel flag down on the issue of race. Time to open your heart on that issue, lay that burden down and come with us.

[MsLiz]

It's not that my neighbors are racist, it is that they are willfully ignorant.

[almoguy]

I agree. If one only looks at the educational and economic statistics of the "red" states, it supports your argument. Wiping out ignorance will take time and will be in direct proportion to the disappearance of poverty and the addition of substantial educational opportunities.

[sonomarc]

yes...this is not necessarily a racial thing. It's the same mindset in 2000 and 2004 that elected Bush..."willful ignorance" is the term that says it best. Just listen to Fox.

[pupbayer]

And, yet, a woman cannot get elected to a national office in the country. They've been throwing around names for O bama's staff and cabinet...not one woman has been mentioned. LOL!!! I guess the "change" is only for some, uh? Like we didn't know that. LOL!!

[MsLiz]

Um, has Obama named anyone to the Cabinet yet?

Nice to know you are so concerned about feminist, pupbayer.

[Grunty1]

He isn't, just looking to nitpick. The tr0lls have to resort to this kind of thing, since they have no real ammo left.

[Archivist1000]

I am a woman ... and I am GLAD that Palin didn't get elected !

McCain insulted women when he chose her; he mistakenly assume that 'a woman, any woman' would do .... he didn't GET that women are smart enough, and informed enough and proud enough, to reject a BIMBO when that is the option.

Palin was no substitute for Hillary, and McCain thought we'd just fall into her trap!

We are more intelligent than that ...

[KindMisica]

Can I believe the polls? I can't get drunk yet till I see it !

[Tyrione]

Unless this surpasses 2004's greater than 120 million votes cast, then this isnt' the biggest turnout.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_U.S._presidential_election

[stargazer13]

I was proud to cast my vote for change

and determined too help take my country back along with my like minded fellow Americans

Peace to The World Peace to America

And now the work begins

[Huffyfan]

Bravo . well done . I knew you could do it . You proved to the world that not ALL support Bush and MCcain warmongering threats . we knew you wanted change and peace and dialogue . well done . Good luck to Obama , he faces a Nightmare ahead of him , Bush destroyed everything around him , the US reputation , the US economy , everything .

[DGregory]

i dont get it.
GA had 30% voter turnout in early voting. which was 2million

the total amount was 3m for this election.

Were Ga early votes counted?

[ggmome]

Make GA accountable for EARLY voting.... Chambliss was to quick to note who was voting early, and took liberties of disposing of them. GEORGIA COUNT ALL THE VOTES!

[BlueZoo]

I questioned that too! This hick state will be counting ballots for weeks. The Secretary of State said there were "no problems" but people were waiting in line for ten hours! God only knows what the votes really were!

[GwenElle]

Georgian of resident here. I understand the frustration. I am disappointed that we Georgians did not deliver this state and that we will also not be sending a Democrat to the Senate.

As an African American, I do feel some comfort and encouragement when I analyze how Georgia performed compared to the other states of the old Confederacy. In 2004 the margin of victory for Bush in Georgia was 17 percent. In 2008, the margin of victory for McCain is only 8 percent.

Compare Georgia's 2008 results to the following Southern states.

State McCain Barack
SC 54 45
GA 54 46
AL 61 39
KY 58 41
TN 57 42
MS 57 43
LA 59 40
WV 56 43

420,000 more Georgians voted in 2008 than 2004. As for the early vote, it does appear that Barack won that due to the very large African American turnout. Georgia does use the touch screen machines (which I will never trust), but the technology seems to have performed without widespread failure. I have not yet read the local papers though.

As for the Senate race, it appears that the Democrat Martin will lose to Chambliss by 4 percentage points. In 2002 Chambliss won by 7 points. In 2004 the margin of victory for the republican was 17 percent.

So Georgia is making progress. I am just sorry that we did not get *there* this time. Trust me, we really, really tried.

We'll get 'em next time!

[theducator]

I am new to GA; only 3 years, from WI. I make so many calls for Obama and nearly 85 percent of the respondents supported him. I guess i was deluded into thinking what I was hearing had legs elsewhere in the state. I thought for sure this was the time that the south could rise above the petty issues and vote for the country, but it was not to be.

This outcome was what we were seeking in the 60's. That should reveal a little background. Still basking in the reflected glow.

[Whinger]

GOP has been overrun and dispatched, we've done it once, we can keep on doing it.

[TurtleGuy]

Nice, simple, easy voting around here in Mass. Nice simple paper ballots, no lines, and it was a beautiful day. I got to walk over to the polls, enjoy the sunshine and the fall foliage, before casting my votes.

I had always seen video of democratic elections in small countries on the news. You see joy on people's faces, flag waving, horn honking, and singing in dancing in the streets. I always asked myself if I would ever see anything like that in our country, where the population cares so deeply about the election results.

I think yesterday was about as close as we will get to that as a country. The staggering turnout numbers, the tears being shed when Obama won, it was a wonderful thing for this country to experience, regardless of who you actually voted for. This race got the people interested in politics again, and that's never a bad thing. I'm not a terribly emotional guy, but I was having trouble keeping myself together when Obama gave his acceptance speech.

[siney]

our long, national nightmare is finally OVER....YAY TEAM OBAMA!!! ...all gazillion of you :)

[flourpower7]

these are the EXACT words i used when i woke up my girls to tell them obama had won!!
it's a new day for america and our way of life. inauguration day can't get here soon enough!!

[dougreeler]

You will be surprised to hear how many people here in South Africa were following the election... more than we follow our own!!! But this is because the USA stands astride the world (unfortunately) and represents the very best (e.g. jazz) and the very worst (e.g. Cheney and greed) in humanity... yes thank god the nightmare of George Bush is over. But is it going to make much of a difference to the rest of the world? I am holding thumbs but I fear that the USA's addiction to power and money is still as strong as ever and like an addict it may have to fall a lot further before it becomes healed. So all strength to those good and hopeful americans who swept out Bush... now you have a bigger job, to join the world on a different path and to sacrifice your comforts.

"We are greater than our despair.
The negative aspects of humanity
Are not the most real and authentic;
The most authentic thing about us
Is our capacity to create, to overcome,
To endure, to transform, to love,
And to be greater than our suffering.
We are best defined by the mystery
That we are still here, and can still rise
Upwards, still create better civilisations,
That we can face our raw realities,
And that we will survive
The greater despair
That the greater future might bring."

Ben Okri (Nigerian poet)

[indothinker]

I'm so happy I don't even know what to do! Thank you, America! Thank you for waking up from this horrible nightmare. I hope and dream that Mr. President Elect will put this country back where it needs to be. I am willing to sacrifice and do whatever he asks of us to make this country great again. Please say a prayer for his and his family's safety. Thank you!