2008 Elections

Election Turn Out Was High In 2008; But Who Didn't Vote

More eligible voters cast ballots in this past November’s election than in the last 40 years. Turnout, as it turns out, among those eligible to vote was high. According to a report in Monday’s Washington post 61.6% of eligible voters cast ballots.

Final figures from nearly every state and the District of Columbia showed that more than 131 million people voted. A little more than 122 million voted in the 2004 presidential election.
This year's total amounts to 61.6 percent of eligible voters, the highest turnout rate since 1968, when Republican Richard M. Nixon defeated Democrat Hubert H. Humphrey, said Michael P. McDonald, a political science professor at [George Mason University].

You can review McDonald’s work here

My limited subtraction skills suggest that 38.4% of eligible voters didn’t. Since, as Woody Allen has explained, 90% of life is just showing up, the views of the non-voters went unrecorded. However, had they intended to vote “none of the above” we’d be commander-in-chiefless. Did the non voters intend to oppose both candidates? I asked Professor McDonald who he thought they were.  read more »

Daniel Millstone's picture



Massa, McMahon, Maffei prevail

Democrats rubbed out another five republican Congressmen in the Northeast yesterday, including three in New York, one in New Jersey, and, in a historic victory, finally ending the tenure of New England's last remaining Member of the House, Chris Shays.

In NY-29, Eric Massa succeeded in his second attempt to knock off incumbent Shotgun Randy Kuhl. In NY-13, City Councilman Michael McMahon took Vito "More families, more values" Fossella's formerly safe seat with over 60% of the vote. In NY-25, Dan Maffei will replace retiring republican James Walsh.

So that's that. Republicans just stopped being a national party. Too bad for them.

Michael Bouldin's picture





I voted

I voted

And I did it under the Working Families Party banner.

I was pushed over the edge after Democrats in the City Council betrayed us with their vote to extend term limits. It's why am voting under the WFP banner. I want real progressive in the NYC government, not weasels that can be bought easily with a little grease palming. Am ready to take them down and kick them out --and that includes you Christine Quinn.

It's on motherfuckers. 

Liza Sabater's picture



Go vote now

Self and better half just got back from casting our ballots (or, more accurately, pulling the god-damned levers). We waited in line for about twenty minutes; turnout seems to be high.

When you're done voting, get on the phone and make calls into swing states.

If you don't know where your polling place is, check out this web site.

If you have a problem voting, please go here. Remember: if you're a registered voter and show up at your polling place, they have to let you cast a ballot.

If you run into problems at a polling place in New York, please go here.

And of course, you should vote for Obama on the WFP's Row E. I just did, and it felt really good. Make your voice heard for Progressive change.

Michael Bouldin's picture



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