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

[RationalDubSteppa]

... is basking in the beauty of America and what she represents and on this wonderful Wednesday morning I really feel blessed to be a part of it's citizenry.

[realpolitic]

Americans so badly wanted to undo Karl Rovian character assassination politics that they were willing to wait in line eight hours.

[Hopeington]

Thank you People! I love you for believing in him,. Thank you for investing in our future and restoring my faith in the UNITED States of America.
And I Thank ALL of you, especially those who stayed in a long line, for helping us achieve this wonderful moment in history.
I just came in from my downtown and the streets were packed!!!
The whole town was Dancin in the Street!!!
Together we experienced the happiest moment the WORLD has ever known!!

[MyAudacity]

A government for the people, by the people. God Bless America. I can't sleep. I'm so overwhelmed. My family is elated. It is difficult to explain why this is so important and so emotional.....even more than I thought it would be. I feel grateful to God that he has allowed us this experience. And, for those who believe in God let us always continuously pray for our President and other elected leaders that they have wisdom and discernment in governing this great and wonderful country of OURS. The emotion I feel right now, I don't think I'm willing to relinquish it with negativity.....I will think of those things that will promote peace and harmony, and pray that iwhen our leaders have to make tough and unpopular decisions, that zeal be tempered with wisdom, and expediency be guided by the GREATER AUTHORITY from on high.

[PT6]

Barack Obama has built the most incredible campaign organization in history. So why not KEEP IT and Empower it for "CHANGE" that improves America and Americans' lives. Rename it the "YES WE CAN" organization!

"YesWeCan" should become the best Community Service Implementation Program in History!

It will be a powerful tool in bringing about improvements in peoples lives by serving people in need and making sure no one slips through the cracks.

And it can even be used to bring about positive changes in business and government.

Please keep your "YES We CAN" Organization and find ways to continue with "Not for Profit" funding!

[learnsomething]

America has spoken. We took our country back. The largest turnout since 1908. Awesome!

I love my country.

God Bless America.

[musholmes]

I am so proud of my country for going out and voting in such large numbers and it was for a presidential election and not American Idol.

[swift goat pet for truth]

The second time in my life I voted for the POTUS winner.

The first was Jimmy Carter, for whom I voted twice.

And the first time in my life I donated and worked for a campaign - BECAUSE of S. Palin.

[SmokinJoeCalculus]

65% of the electorate?

Does that mean 65% of all eligible voters? that's good?

[ProPsych]

Yes, that's good. We usually get around 60%. Given that there are more registered Dems than Reps in this country, getting above 60% tends to help the Dems. BUt, it's not as good as some countries where almost everyone manages to vote.

[umen]

I am 58 and white, and I want all my black brothers and sisters to know that never for a moment did I consider not voting for Obama. Every time I heard that people my age and ethnicity would not vote for Obama I cringed and yelled at the tv, or radio. I make my own choices, and I chose hope! I walked a precinct yesterday in the rain for Obama. I sent him $ twice even though I have lost 3 jobs this year. He is the president we need! And I keep thinking of Tracey Morgan on SNL a few months ago when he said "Bitch may be the new black, but black is the new president, bitch!" Oh yeah!

[PTaylor]

Power to the people, sister!

=)

[PeaceOnEarth62]

Oh yes it's ladies night.

[Larkinvos]

There's hope for this country, after all.

[mingusman]

And perhaps the world

[ProPsych]

I will be very interested in seeing the actual voter turn-out numbers in the next few days. In my state, NC, where it rained all day, 700,000 more people voted in this election than in 2004. It's not official yet, but with 100% of the vote in, Obama appears to have won by 12,000 votes. NC has not gone for a Democratic presidential candidate since Jimmy Carter. However, I have been studying the vote figures between this election and 2004 and in some states, fewer, rather than more people, voted. It looks to me like the increase in voters, nationally, this time around will be about 5,000,000. I don't know how that relates to the population increases during that time. It seems like it wasn't just an increase in voters, but voter enthusiasm, that was a big factor for our side. I have a feeling quite a few people from the other party just stayed home, thereby offsetting the increased number of Democratic voters in the turn-out numbers. However it worked, it worked out well.

[j9laguna]

Fly the American flag tomorrow to honor Obama's victory!!

We can reclaim the new patriotism--once again it stands for hope and unity instead of fear and war!!

PASS IT ON!!!

[Finchy13]

THIS IS THE WAY IT SHOUL BE - IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO VOTE IN THIS COUNTRY - DON'T THROW IT AWAY IN THE FUTURE - BECAUSE YOUR VOTE - MAKES YOUR FUTURE!!!

ALWAYS VOTE - TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN UP TOO MUCH - EVEN THEIR LIVES - FOR US TO BE ABLE TO EXERCISE OUR RIGHT TO VOTE............

YES WE CAN - YES WE DID - YES WE WILL!!!!!!!!!

Whatever I can do in the future to contribute to the Obama presidency - I will be more than willing to do - and I hope there are millions of other people out there who will feel the same and will do more than their share .............

[IzzyCA]

YES WE DID!