Check this post often today for updates, podcasts, and photos of today’s events as they unfold.
Please check back on Thursday for our post-election wrap-up podcast. To automatically download and sync “VPOD” with your MP3 player, use this feed. “Virginia Politics On-Demand” is recorded weekly.
The Results:
There is also the State Board of Elections Site
Updates:
6 p.m. – Coal turning to diamonds for McCain? Late word is that Pennsylvania voters are breaking to McCain on the coal issue.
5:17 p.m. – Military ballots to not be discarded, immediately, in Virginia
“We are pleased that the judge has ruled to preserve the ballots cast by our men and women in uniform currently serving overseas. This will help to ensure that local election officials do not destroy or dispose of these ballots before the court has had an opportunity to rule on our complaint. The McCain-Palin campaign strongly believes that no military ballot should be discarded as a result of a failure on the part of several counties and independent cities to mail ballots to service members in a timely manner. We believe without exception that the servicemen and women on the front lines protecting our freedoms deserve every opportunity to make sure their vote counts.” –Gail Gitcho, McCain-Palin spokesman
5 p.m. – Statement from Gov. Tim Kaine:
“Virginians are turning out in record numbers to vote in today’s historic Presidential election, despite the weather. The State Board of Elections is working closely with local election officials to make sure that voting runs smoothly, and we are confident that the problems that some precincts have encountered are being addressed promptly and resolved quickly.
“Those still waiting to vote should be aware that turnout is very heavy, but precinct volunteers are working hard to make the lines move as quickly as possible.
“Voters should remember that polls close at 7 p.m. and the hours will not be extended. However, all who arrive to vote by 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote notwithstanding the length of lines. We ask everyone to be patient and encourage voters to stay in line to participate in this historic event.”
4:47 p.m. – Politicking inside a Virginia Beach precinct?
4:00 p.m. – Rep. J. Randy Forbes shares his perspective on today.
Just got off the phone with Rick Fromberg of Glenn Nye for Congress. He’s feeling very good about the turnout and the response Nye is receiving at the polls.
2:40 p.m. – Had the chance to vote and caught up with two volunteers. My precinct is seeing heavy turnout, already close to the numbers voting in 2006 for Allen and Webb. I spoke with Jim Bailey, campaign manager for Rep. Randy Forbes, and he said that the high turnout is indicative of what is happening all across the district.
11:45 a.m. – Heading to vote. Saw Palin give her news conference after she cast her ballot in Alaska. She did fantastic. Wish we would have seen more of this during the campaign.
10:30 a.m. – Kenny Golden, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia Beach, tells me that, for the most part, things are going well process-wise in Virginia Beach. Two irregularities did come up, such as one poll worker showing up drunk, which caused the poll to be delayed in opening, and about twenty-to-thirty state sample ballots being marked up by some Democratic volunteers.
All in all, turnout is very high at the beach. It took Golden more than two hours to vote, and that remains consistent through now.
In Northern Virginia, turnout is also very heavy.
8:50 a.m. – Update from Keith Fimian, candidate for congress in VA-11
8:00 a.m. –
A precinct in Chesapeake shows the interest in today’s election.
6:30 a.m. – My significant other went to vote before work. Line too long in this conservative precinct (we typically go 65-35 for the GOP). She’ll have to go later. Brian Kirwin also reported that more than 300 people are in line at his precinct in Virginia Beach.
Questions for today:
– How many people will be turned off by: long lines, the weather, weekend robo-calls?
– What is the most important issue influencing the vote?
– Will the election be over before midnight?
National Journal Poll
If you can spare a second, go check out the bloggers poll on National Journal On-Line for today’s predictions from 46 bloggers accross the country, including yours truly and our friend, Jon Henke, of Next Right.
Podcasts
Listen to our past podcasts with Jim Gilmore, Keith Fimian, Mark Ellmore, Thelma Drake, and more before you cast your ballot.
To automatically download and sync our podcast with your MP3 player, use this feed.
