Strange

CNN is reporting 227,155 ballots cast and counted in the Ohio-15 race between Mary Jo Kilroy and Deb Pryce with Pryce ahead 52-48. The Ohio Secretary of State is reporting 199,755 total votes with Pryce ahead by around 3500 votes. Actually, none of CNN's numbers jive with the Ohio SOS. Where is CNN getting these numbers?

Hmm

I have a feeling that more than one provisional ballot was cast in Franklin county.

This Is Getting Ridiculous

South Carolina's Governor was refused the right to vote today as he didn't have his voting registration card on him. He said he would have to go get another one at a voter registration office.

Backfired

The republican voter disenfranchisement plan of 2004 worked so well, the republican state legislature decided to expand the program through the legislative process to make it even harder to vote this time around. I'm gonna guess that this plan backfires in their face wholeheartedly.

I've been monitoring EIR's election incident page, and quite a few of the reported problems are coming in from very republican precincts. Now, there are incidents being reported in strong Democratic precincts as well, but these voters are in fact, used to dealing with this shit. They have had practice from previous elections.

What do you think the average moderate voter who has never had to deal with it is going to be thinking when he or she fills out their provisional ballot. I believe they are going to be thinking about a straight ticket Democratic vote. It would simply be the greatest thing in the world if this does indeed backfire on the Ohio republican party.

Big Turnout

It appears this will be the largest turnout for a midterm election since 1994 in Ohio with 54% expected to vote. Hmm, did something significant happen that year? Ha!

Anyway, that is good news for the Democrats here because it means independents are coming out to vote and they are breaking for us 2-1.

Voting Information

Tomorrow is election day. Don't know where your voting location is? If you're in Franklin County check it here. Check here if you want to see how many voting machines will be available at your precinct. If you would like a Democratic sample ballot, you can print one out here.

Outside of Franklin County, check your local county party website. A full list of Ohio county Democratic websites can be found here.

Don't forget to take your ID. ID requirements available here.

The Ohio Poll

The Ohio Poll has released their first poll of likely voters in Ohio and there is some good news for Democrats in it, and also a potential problem for us as well. First, the good news. Ted Strickland leads Ken Blackwell by 12 points, 50-38. Sherrod Brown leads Mike DeWine by 4 points 51-47.

Now, it is my opinion that the Ohio Poll skews a little bit farther to the right than most polling so for both of our candidates in these races to be over fifty percent is definitely a good thing. However, there is some danger lurking in the cross tabs.

The first potential problem is for down ticket Democrats running for office this year. A lot of them are going to need some good coat tails from a potential gubernatorial blowout. Strickland has a comfortable lead in most age groups, but in the 18-29 age group he holds a commanding lead of 66-28. That is great if the youth vote shows up on election day, but even among likely voters they are the ones most likely not to show up.

They are also some of the easiest ones to disenfranchise with voter ID requirements. They are at this point in their lives still fairly transient in nature, and very few update their drivers licences every time they move. They also tend to live in groups and some of them may not have a bill at their house in their name, or if they live in the dorms and their parents pay their bills then they also may fail to meet ID requirements. The various campus Democratic parties should be starting massive voter education drives informing voters what they will need to vote.

The second concern is for Sherrod Brown. It appears that for him to defeat Mike DeWine women are going to have to show up at the polls. His lead is based almost solely on his lead among women and they are, again, one of the groups most likely not to show up on election day. What to do about this, I'm just not sure.