Record numbers of voters at a Pennsylvania polling place
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/11/04/art.pittsburghvoting.jpg caption="Across the state from Lancaster County, a Pittsburgh, PA voting machine."]
Katie Ross
AC360° Associate Producer
My mom is the Judge of Elections for District 57 in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. She’s been working at the polls for the last fifteen years and said that she’s never seen voters come out in such record numbers before. Their polling location opened at 7 A.M., and by 2 P.M., over fifty percent of registered voters had already showed up. So far no major problems or delays.
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Filed under: 2008 Election • Katie Ross • Voting |
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Yes, lampe you are correct. McCain/Palin for a safe America. The only sections of PA that vote Democratic are Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. They voted in our Governor Rendell twice. Promises he made and never kept too numerous to count. Central PA loves McCain/Palin. I would sleep much better at night if a former Navy pilot, POW, and war hero was at the helm. The Dems say PA is Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, with Alabama in the middle. What an insult to our good neighbors to the south in the state of AL. Oh yes, we also cling to guns and religion in bad times according to Senator Obama. Come morning we will see just how many stupid people are in America ! At least Alabama residents were smart enough to vote McCain/Palin.
Some really beautiful posts here. Thanks to Rodney and several others.
Still think Oregon has best. Mail out ballots or if wished off to the polls on voting day.
The more people show up, the better it is for Obama!
Alabama is expecting a 75 to 80 percent turnout. So far its going well. My daughter only had to wait in line for 15 minutes when she went. I've never seen turnout like this – at least none that I remember. It will be interesting to see just how many turn out and what the waits were like in other states. If people are still in line with a 2 or 3 hour wait when its time for the poll to close what happens? Do they just delay their closing until everyone has voted – that could put vote counting off significantly.
Annie Kate
Birmingham AL
Today we are witnessing an event that many thought would never happen. The nation has changed and a new generation of Americans are born today. The world is watching and the historical event is no less significant than the Founding of this nation, the civil war and of course the civil rights movement. A new dawn has begun and our own Statue of Liberty seems to smile in the harbor.
Rodney Brown
Dallas Tx
I went to the polls first thing this morning - I just couldn't wait. I was surprised that there were lines at 8 a.m.
I teach college, and took a poll of my classes. I told my students they are considered unreliable voters. Are they this year?
All students in 2 classes said they either already voted and intended to. Two students forgot to get their absentee ballots and are driving to CT and ME, respectively, just to vote. I am writing from Boston, so the Maine trip especially is two plus hours one way.
it's a "put a candle in the window kind of evening..."
I was born and raised in Pa. And I can tell you that Obama will take Pa. in a huge lead. As well as the Presidency I feel it's going to be a big win... When you have alot of people crossing party lines Rep to Dems. And us Dems reg. twice the amount, then you know that something big is going on. And it will be proven tonite. I never thought that my mother would vote for a Dem President , but she did. And I was sooo proud of her. Obama is our next President.. greg
I voted this morning near downtown Atlanta. I waited for four hours because there was only two people checking addresses and one of the computers broke. On the bright side, I talked with other people standing in line and made a group coffee run while waiting. I will always vote, but I just don't understand why there has to be such an inefficient method for voting.
I live in PA. I had to wait 90 minutes, to vote. But, it was well worth the wait. McCain\Palin, the only ticket, for a safe America.
I'm working the polls in Columbia, MO. Right now we've had over 1200 voters out of about 1500 come in to vote today. It's be amazing!
People have been waiting patiently in line and all have been curteous. I'm even working the computer- where I tell people they're in the wrong place- and people seem ok with going somewhere else and waiting in line again. No problems so far, it'll be a close race in MO.
My dad arrived at the polls in Leola, PA (a suburb in Lancaster County) at 6:30am and was still the 20th person in line! I am absolutely amazed by the voter turnout around the country. It is so great to see people stepping up and doing their part for our country.
I am a new voter in Southaven, MS. and I was greated by a slew of angry looking white men and women in army fatigue clothing who stared me down the entire time. Is this legal? Thank God the time was short to vote.
I voted for the very first time, as I just acquired citizenship.
I voted in Harlem. At 6am, 350people were already in line. Only one voting machine, however nobody left and waited: we were in line for three hours. Someone got to the nearby Dunkin Donuts to get coffee for everybody. The spirit was so great, it was touching.
The men in front of me, a black gentleman in his 70th, had tears when he got out of the booth.
I feel so part of history!
Not since I watched Martin Luther King in Washington DC and shook Bobby Kenndy's hand in 1968, only to see it disappear in sounds of gunfire, have I had the hope and promise of a change in America as I see in Obama.
I have voted in presidential elections before, but this time, I was excited. I was excited because for the first time I felt like I was actually voting for a candidate who deserved my vote. I felt like I was making a difference and that my vote mattered regardless of who I was or which party I was registered as. While I won't say who I voted for, I will just say this. Even if you don't like any of the candidates running for office, you should still vote. It is the only way to ensure that we don't lose our freedoms and our democracy.
I stood out the polls in the area that i was allowed tofor obama and i could not believe the rude things that were yelled out to me about him. it was words of hatred. Someone actually was arrested for pushing one of my fellow congress supporters. let's all hope for the best. we need to unite to keep this country together-no matter who wins!
I served in the US Navy and I am now a veteran. One of the reasons I served was to protect our democracy. I am fearful that the voter registration purges that have occurred in several of the states may be overlooked by the media and the general public and the GOP may steal this election. Please report about this to protect our democracy.
If Mr. Obama can strategicaly run a campaign the way he has with no problem!! He is ready for anything! He set his campaign up ready to battle for Victory!! Mr. Obama is Brilliant. This man will take us out of the stone age into the new!! It's about time!! America!! Don't you think.
You Go Mr. Obama!
Why is CNN and MSNBC not reporting on the black panther incident in Philadelphia today? Foxnews is apparently the only media outlet reporting ALL of the news. By the way, for those of you who insist it did not happen, the video is available on the foxnews website. Hopefully this election will bring change – change to a fair, even media!
Where is your coverage of voter intimidation by New Black Panthers a polling site in Philly. Will I get a knock at my door in the middle of the night for compalining?
My brother e-mailed me today from a small town outside Birmingham, Alabama, called Springville, and he said he'd never seen such crowds except when there is a parade or a football game. Go Springville! VOTE VOTE VOTE!
I think every state should have early voting. At least 8 days one week early voting and than election day. Also we need a paper trail after each voter. We need to know our votes are being counted. Also we need to have more machines to accommodate the voters. You would think our elected officials would have made this a priority after the 2000 election. What a disaster that was. WE NEED CHANGE..!!!!!!! iT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A BILL JUST TO PROTECT THE ELECTION PROCESS.