Democrats Vote in South Carolina; Big Turnout Seen

[Omaha Steve]

Source: NY Times

By JEFF ZELENY and JULIE BOSMAN
Published: January 26, 2008

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Democratic voters were taking their turn Saturday in the first Southern primary of the presidential campaign, the final contest before the race expands into a state-by-state battle for the party’s nomination.

As Senators Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Senator John Edwards made last-minute appeals for support, thousands of their volunteers waved signs on street corners, manned telephone banks and drove voters to polling stations that opened across the state at 7 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m.

Party officials were predicting a record-setting turnout. Throughout the state, party officials said they had early reports of high turnout, in predominantly white and black precincts. Several precincts in York County, on the state’s northern edge, had surpassed their complete voting totals from four years ago by early afternoon. Officials said similar turnout patterns were coming in from Aiken County, on the Georgia border.


Jacob Silberberg for The New York Times
John Edwards arrived at a polling place in Columbia, S.C., Saturday. More Photos >


Four years ago, about 290,000 people voted in the presidential primary here, but officials are predicting that as many as 350,000 voters could participate this time.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/26/us/politics/26cnd-carolina.html?ex=1202014800&en=8464bf26a88349cc&ei=5043&partner=EXCITE

[gratuitous]

1. Reiterating: The number to look for is 290,000

How many more voters turn out in SC to vote in the Democratic primary?

ABCNews is looking for 300,000.

[Toots]

2. Wasn't there over four hundred thousand Republicans turn out?

I know it is a Red State but Republicans are reported to be so demoralized that such a large turnout for them does not bode well, I would think the great majority of Independents would turn out for the Democratic Primary and not the Republican one but then again this is South Carolina.