Early Florida Voting Drove Obama's Win

MIAMI — More Floridians voted for John McCain than Barack Obama on Election Day, but the Democrat sealed his victory in the state by winning more early and absentee votes.

An Associated Press study of 94 percent of the state's total shows that the Republican beat Obama by almost 5 percentage points on Nov. 4, but Obama trumped McCain by 11 percentage points in early and absentee balloting. Overall, Obama beat McCain 51.4 percent to 48.6 percent in Florida, becoming only the third Democrat in 11 presidential elections to carry the state.

The results reflect the Obama campaign's heavy emphasis on early voting in critical states such as Florida, which had the most electoral votes of any swing state _ 27 _ and decided the presidency for George W. Bush in 2000.

The AP analyzed election results reported by 55 Florida counties, separating the absentee and early ballots from the votes cast on Election Day.

More than 2.6 million of Florida's 11.2 million registered voters cast their ballots in the early period between Oct. 20 and Nov. 2. Florida's total turnout for the presidential election was 8.4 million voters; it was not yet clear how many voters mailed in their ballots.

Republican Gov. Charlie Crist had signed an executive order Oct. 28 extending early voting hours as record numbers of voters waited for hours in long lines. Democrats hope to make those extensions permanent when the state legislature meets next year.

Democrats also added 461,000 voters to their rolls, compared to 172,000 more Republicans.

In 2004, the difference between Election Day results and early and absentee balloting was negligible for both John Kerry and Bush, according to an AP analysis of election results. Bush carried Florida by 381,000 votes and bested Kerry by about 4 percentage points in the early voting and about 5 percentage points on Election Day. Bush won the state overall, 52.1 percent to Kerry's 47 percent.

More than a third of the votes cast in Florida in that election were cast early or by mail, taking advantage of a 2000 rule change allowing absentee ballot requests without having to prove that voting in person would be a hardship.

Obama won the presidency with 365 electoral votes to McCain's 173.

Comments

[TimeGrid]

OK then... can we start voting for 2012 ASAP?

[rhettisha]

As a Floridian who absentee voted on September 30th for Obama, all I can say is: it's the least we could do after 2000! You're welcome.

[roshni]

I'm glad you feel vindicated. You were so robbed in 2000.

[ArmyCentrist]

That early voting bill was Crist's big F-U to McCain! HA! (In the Chris Matthews voice)

[dizmo4]

I wonder how long before GOP controlled state legislature in Florida eliminates early voting....

[medusa08]

They are just going to eliminate voting, period.

[StringOfLights]

The trial runs in Palm Beach and Sarasota went very well, too.

[rhettisha]

Yes, scary thought. Down here n FL we were so excited about "going blue" that we didn't notice that we're still Republican as He l l. The state legislature is full of the lowest grade right wing hicks. The absolute lowest grade. They all scare me.

[TakLoufer]

You're not the only one, pal. Although I find it quite encouraging that Hillsborough County picked an openly-gay Demo county commissioner over the bloated right-winger incumbent. The latter lost primarily because he wanted to destroy our local wetlands -- both nature preserves and our fresh-water supply -- in favor of more Big Development.

[Harmony1812]

The GOP will be gunning for us in 2012. We need to be extra watchful.

[stell]

Really? I though it was the Clintons that handed him the state?

[H2Opolomom]

This was the kind of grass roots ground operation that will make Obama's stint(s) in the White House as successful. Congratulations to everyone who went out there to make sure the people got out early.

AND, congratulations to all those who actually stood in line for many hours, endured hot weather, and cast their votes in the right direction for the change this country needs so badly.

Glad to see that an organized and CLEAN campaign can win. It's about time.

[booboo111]

I live in Florida, I voted for Obama, and I also voted early. Don't thank me, just send $$$.

[NationalTreasure]

Thanks Gov. Crist!

[Loopy76]

I cannot express how proud I am of my home state of FLORIDA!! I voted early and I also drug my first-time-voter nieces and nephews by the ears to the polls to vote early. My oldest niece and her friends stood in line for 3 hours to vote on the last day of early voting. They were giving away free dinners to voters at the recreation center across the street! There was a LOT of enthusiasm for Obama here. I'm happy Obama is President regardless, but I was really praying and working for Florida to go blue this year, and WE DID IT!!

To put yet another cherry on top, I'm proud of my hometown, SARASOTA! Obama was here 5 days before election day and 15,000 turned out to see him! This is a reliably REPUBLICAN-leaning county. This is Katherine Harris's home turf. Yet on election day, John McCain won this county by only 200 votes (out of 210,000 voters)!

I peeped the local election results by precinct on the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections website, and in the city of Sarasota, Obama CREAMED McCain 65% to 35%! Driving around Sarasota before election day there were probably like 4 Obama yard signs for every McCain/Palin yard sign. My already beautiful city of Sarasota looks even more beautiful now that it's an OBAMA city!

To quote the late Tim Russert: FLORIDA, FLORIDA, FLORIDA!

[Trickydix2000]

Team OBAMA changed the Game, good job

[walkthewalk]

Thank you to the hundreds of thousands of Florida voters who waited in line for up to 5 hours to cast their early ballots for Obama. They would not be denied in 2008.

[IslandGyal]

Charles Crist will be thrown out the republican party for allowing early voting and then extending the hours later on.

[ckfan]

Yep. McSame brought it on himself. Crist was none too happy about losing the VP nomination to Ms. Moose Moose.

[obamagal]

Probably..­... he's the only one of the bunch that did, in fact, put country first.

[strandwolf]

Can't let THOSE folks get a chance to vote--what is this supposed to be, a democracy or something? That's an awesome photo of the black man perusing the sample ballot.... Give it your best shot in succeeding Novembers, IslandGyal! We be ready.

[Harmony1812]

But he's a maverick.

[foxbat]

A community organizer is KINDA like an Alaskan mayor/governor, except that the organizer will have presidential duties come January!

[xmw]

Ha! Take that Ms. Palin!

[Aabby]

:)

[movecenter]

Florida has redeemed itself from the 2000 debacle. Thank goodness!

[lesterbud]

The "Fix" was in and did work in Georgia - just not in Florida and Ohio.

[LittlePurpleUSA]

Florida was in the tank for Barack Obama! So was Charlie Crist!

http://littlepurpleusa.blogspot.com

[magnolialiberal]

Wow! Never mind all the folks who worked so hard to get voters registered, to the polls and informed about the issues we face!

[nomobull]

IGNORE THE TROLL U KNOW THE TRUTH