Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Early voting closes with record turnout
Houston Chronicle ^ | Oct. 30, 2010 | BRADLEY OLSON

Posted on 10/30/2010 5:20:49 AM PDT by humblegunner

Up to 450,000 ballots cast in Harris County

Taken together, the events of the 2010 election season in Harris County sound almost good enough for a movie plot: electoral turmoil, thousands of burned up voting machines, controversial poll watchers and electioneering, traded allegations of voter fraud and voter suppression, even a few dirty tricks.

Whatever the causes or motivations behind the differing dramas this election season, it has not been enough to deter voters. As polls closed Friday before Tuesday's general election, as many as 450,000 people are expected to have cast their ballots early or by mail, an amount officials say is likely to make up about 65 percent of the total, a record for Harris County in a gubernatorial contest. That would more than double the total number of early votes in 2002 and 2006.

Harris County Clerk Beverly Kaufman predicted that as many as 300,000 will cast their ballots Tuesday, putting overall turnout at 750,000, or about 39 percent of registered voters.

Kaufman attributed the huge early voter turnout to a "true spirit of cooperation" among voters aware of the August fire that destroyed 10,000 pieces of voting equipment. Immediately after the blaze and before she knew whether the county would be able to obtain enough electronic voting machines by Tuesday, Kaufman began imploring residents to vote early to avoid the sort of lines that could discourage turnout on Election Day.

(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 2010midterms; earlyvoting; tx2010
Let's hope this is a precursor to a huge wipeout of the dems on Tuesday.
1 posted on 10/30/2010 5:20:52 AM PDT by humblegunner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: humblegunner

At my early noting place, while I was there, all voters had either gray hair or hair color of choice.


2 posted on 10/30/2010 5:27:36 AM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. N.C. +12 ..... Greetings Jacques. The revolution is coming)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: humblegunner
I've never voted early until this year... and was amazed by the constant flow of voters coming to the polls in our little town. I drove by there every day at different times and couldn't find a parking spot until Tuesday.

If this is any indicator of what is happening around the nation.... we're in for an exciting week!

3 posted on 10/30/2010 5:34:37 AM PDT by LaineyDee (Don't mess with Texas wimmen!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bert

At my early noting place, while I was there, all voters had either gray hair or hair color of choice.


At least they had hair whereas some of us don’t.


4 posted on 10/30/2010 6:18:45 AM PDT by deport
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: humblegunner
Kaufman attributed the huge early voter turnout to an awakening of formerly complacent voters that couldn't wait to send their Marxist overlords packing.

..fixed it..

5 posted on 10/30/2010 6:54:59 AM PDT by smokingfrog (Because you don't live near a bakery doesn't mean you have to go without cheesecake.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LaineyDee

I’ve never voted early until this year... and was amazed by the constant flow of voters coming to the polls in our little town. I drove by there every day at different times and couldn’t find a parking spot until Tuesday.


In some of the early voting years as this process was being developed I remember once voting in a K-Mart and another time in a Walmart. I’ve voted this way for a few cycles as to me its more convenient thus when I’m near a location I stop and vote.


6 posted on 10/30/2010 7:00:52 AM PDT by deport
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: bert

I voted early at the Palm Center (Houston) which is near my work. It is in a minority neighborhood. In fact, CongressWOMAN(pronounced with rising volume and emphasis) Sheila Jackson Lee was in the parking lot firing up her Card Pushers.

I WAS THE ONLY VOTER THERE.

I think many minorities had high hopes for Obama and the dim Congress; those hopes have been dashed by the lousy economy and even higher unemployment. When I have been around African Americans recently and the discussion turns to the election they act depressed.


7 posted on 10/30/2010 10:49:45 AM PDT by darth
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: humblegunner
Up to 450,000 ballots cast in Harris County

Wonder how many of those came from the destroyed machines?

8 posted on 10/30/2010 12:04:25 PM PDT by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: humblegunner

We voted early. There was a fifteen minute wait.


9 posted on 10/30/2010 12:05:30 PM PDT by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: darth
CongressWOMAN(pronounced with rising volume and emphasis) Sheila Jackson Lee

A Michael Berry show listener!

10 posted on 10/30/2010 12:09:34 PM PDT by humblegunner (Pablo is very wily)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: humblegunner
Voted last Sunday afternoon over on Wirt Road. At 2:45 PM when I arrived, there were 60-70 people in line for the 26 voting machines. When I left 30 minutes later, the line had grown to 80-90.

Looked like a Republican crowd to me...lots of seasoned citizens. Much different makeup than '08 during the Obama wave which carried (slightly) Harris County.

Bill White is toast based on what I saw. If he can't carry Harris County, he has no shot statewide.

11 posted on 10/30/2010 12:11:18 PM PDT by Al B.
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lurker

Not me, I can wait until Tuesday.
The polling place is the little Baptist church up the road
and I’ve never had to wait at all, even in 2008. It’s nice.

Very few people in this zipcode. ;-)


12 posted on 10/30/2010 12:11:56 PM PDT by humblegunner (Pablo is very wily)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: humblegunner

I voted on Thursday afternoon. There was no waiting in line, but there was a steady flow of people voting.


13 posted on 10/30/2010 12:17:40 PM PDT by TheMom (I wish mosquitoes sucked fat instead of blood.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: humblegunner

Berry is hilarious.

He is a major reason that Queen Sheila may lose her election in her gerrymandered “safe” district.


14 posted on 10/30/2010 1:13:18 PM PDT by darth
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: humblegunner
Up to 450,000 ballots cast in Harris County

Mine's one of 'em!

(If they're counting the absentees in that number...)

Take out the trash!

15 posted on 10/30/2010 1:16:17 PM PDT by Allegra (Pablo is very wily.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson