Posted on 11/06/2008 5:52:55 AM PST by xzins
COLUMBUS: Ohio's 2008 presidential election was memorable for what it wasn't: controversial, plagued by problems, record-setting, crucial to winning the White House.
After partisan bickering that set the stage for controversy, and the persistent memories of failures in 2004, the 2008 presidential election was extremely quiet in Ohio on Tuesday with few problems reported.
However, despite balmy weather with temperatures in the 70s, turnout looked likely to fall significantly below the 80 percent mark that had been projected. There was a chance it had not even hit the 72 percent mark reached in 2004, which set a record in Ohio for a presidential election. Turnout reports ranged as high as 86 percent in Perry County, while many counties hovered in the 60s and low 70s.
Despite having clinched President Bush's re-election in 2004, Ohio simply played a supporting role in 2008, as Democrat Barack Obama won the presidency with relative ease.
Still, the race for the Ohio's 20 electoral votes was tight. According to unofficial results, Obama won by about 200,400 votes out of 4.5 million cast. Bush had won Ohio by about 118,000 votes out of more than 5.5 million cast four years ago.
The campaigns of both Obama and Republican John McCain campaigns said they were satisfied with how things went across the state.
(Excerpt) Read more at ohio.com ...
Ohio’s turnout stood at nearly 5.6 million voters late Wednesday, about 67 percent.
The number accounts for full Election Day counts from all 88 counties, except Franklin, where 99.88 percent of precincts had reported. It also does not include about 60,000 uncounted absentee ballots and about 154,000 uncounted provisional ballots statewide.
Roughly 5.7 million registered voters – or 72 percent – voted in the 2004 election that clinched President Bush’s re-election.
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner had predicted 80 percent turnout for this year’s election.
Ohio’s record was 77 percent in the 1992 election, when about 5 million voted in the election that gave Bill Clinton the presidency.
there was a suggestion on Ohio’s major radio station, wlw700, this morning that conservatives stayed home.
Interesting.
Maybe the conservatives thought that the Obamites cheated so much that there was no way their votes would count, so why bother.
When the Democrats win, all claims of “irregularities” go out the window. Al Franken lost, therefore he litigates.
Black Panthers maybe??
“Despite intense interest in a historic election”
EVERY election is historic. EVERY ONE OF THEM determines the future of this nation.
So, if OH and other swing states were only won by small margins, our task in winning back the voting populace is very ‘do-able.’ The media will paint this as a giant victory and move to the left, when it is more of just a normal swing of the pendulum. Now the opposition party is in charge, and has to take the blame for everything.
Voters stayed home? Maybe, but not likely due to dissatisfaction with McCain choice.
Voters stayed home because their concerns over voter fraud were pushed aside by Brunner. Brunner’s actions disenfranchised thousands of voters.
Believe me even I thought about not bothering to vote given the situation of not being able to cross check new registrations or the fact Brunner had instructed the counties to give regular ballots to mismatched registrations at the polls.
I thought about that, too. It makes sense. If it’s true that 200,000 fraudulent votes were in the kitty ahead of time, it makes it seem unwinnable, doesn’t it?
As it was, Ohio was only 200,000 votes separating McCain and Obama.
I think the dems ran a huge vote suppression campaign through their media, pollsters, state officials, and even duped McCain campaign workers.
McCain, however, NEVER got his organization in Ohio off the ground.
Bush/Cheney/Rove ran an infinitely better organization and ground game.
Voters stayed home because their concerns over voter fraud were pushed aside by Brunner. Brunner’s actions disenfranchised thousands of voters.
now that I can understand
Why vote when cheating is rampant and people aren't even required to show ID?
The MSM harping on how the election was lost to McCain for the the 4 days before Nov. 4 significantly depressed the national conservative vote as well...I'm sure of it.
Believe me, even I thought about not bothering to vote.
Given the situation of not being able to cross check new registrations or the fact Brunner had instructed the counties to give regular ballots to mismatched registrations at the polls.
It needed a breath in there!
About 200K Ohio voters have records discrepancies
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner estimated that an initial review found that about 200,000 newly registered voters reported information that did not match motor-vehicle or Social Security records, Brunner spokesman Kevin Kidder said. Some discrepancies could be as simple as a misspelling, while others could be more significant.Emphasis mine
Ms. Brunner did her job of delivering Ohio to Obama. Her master will be pleased. She is now privileged to lick his boots.
I did not stay home, but I was dissatisfied with the choice. McCain ran a totally lackluster campaign ORGANIZATION here in Ohio. He insulted and then exiled conservative friendlies such as Bill Cunningham.
If he hadn’t had Palin, I’m sure he would have been slaughtered in Ohio.
What is up with these conservatives who attempt to be so elite and above the rest of us. If they did stay home, I hope they and their families enjoy watching our country become a Socialist/Marxist state.
Something screwy happened.
Michigan usually only goes democrat with about 10 heavily populated counties voting democrat. This year it was closer to 40 counties. We also tend to go conservative with ballot initiatives but approved stem cell research and medical marijuana this time out. Our fairly reliably conservative 7th district also went democrat with the most conservative county being the one to vote democrat.
It was a combination of fraud and conservatives staying home.
and do you think any of the McCain lawyers or GOP lawyers etc. will bother to pursue this...?
Franken: I think, therefore I sue..............
I was disgusted by McCain but I finally choked back my bile and voted for him. I was the only voter in the place when I went at around 2 PM.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.