2008.10.30
The surge has begun.
There's been a lot of talk about record turnouts for next Tuesday's presidential election. Here are a few numbers from one small city -- Radford -- that might bring the point home.
According to Tracy Howard, the city's voter registrar, the big turnout has already started. The largest number of absentee voters in the city's history came in 1992, Bill Clinton's first presidential election. There were 327 of them then. Thursday afternoon, just before his office closed for the day, Howard said he's had more than 400 absentee votes already. More than 230 of those came by Howard's office to vote in person.
Radford has more registered voters than ever before -- 7,739. Among those are 678 new voters and 839 who transferred their registration from somewhere else. About 48 percent of those new and new-to-Radford voters are in the precinct that holds Radford University.
The highest turnout Howard can remember was in the high 70s, in 1992. He's predicting a new record -- 80 to 85 percent.
"Everybody and their grandmaw wants to vote in this election," Howard said.
He also said -- particularly this year -- people should be sure about their registration and their polling places before election day. So give your registrar a call if you're not certain.
-- Tim Thornton
Imagine 7,739 new voters for John McCain and Sarah Palin... History being made and young voters joining in on the greatest democracy in the world.
Not a Socialist society but a free-market capitalist society. Thanks to all of you.
Comment by Ray Roberts — November 1, 2008 @ 8:39 pm
We have all witnessed a very historical election for both major parties.
Now is the time to close ranks and help America become competitive in world markets. Lets use all this political energy to rebuild the American dream.
Comment by Ray Roberts — November 11, 2008 @ 7:22 am