Tennessee Votes Early in Record Numbers

[cal04]

Far more Tennessee voters cast their ballots early this year than in any other non-presidential election, and an election official Friday gave credit to the contentious U.S. Senate race between Republican Bob Corker and Democrat Harold Ford Jr.

Final figures show that more than 867,000 ballots were cast during the early voting period - more than a quarter of the 3.3 million active registered voters the state reported in June.

The early vote total was a 49 percent increase over the more than 580,000 early ballots cast in the 2002 midterm elections.

"The Senate race and all the advertising with it has spurred people to go vote," said state election coordinator Brook Thompson.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/1-11032006-736533.html

[DeSwiss]

1. Yep....

....and I was one of them.

[asjr]

2. So was I.

[elperromagico]

3. Corker is hopeless,

and as a senator would be nothing more than another GOP dum-dum like DeMint, Chambliss, or Coburn. That these people get elected almost by default is embarrassing. I hope the high turnout is a good sign for Ford. He's too conservative by half, but if anybody could motivate Tennessee Dems and independents to get out and vote, it would be him. He's dynamic as hell.

[AtomicKitten]

4. Go Harold!

[cal04]

5. State sets new early voting record

(snip)

This could mean turnout on election day, Nov. 7, will be higher or people are making sure their votes are in early, he said.

“It’s my guess it’s a little bit of both,” he said, adding that he still expects a solid turnout on election day.

(snip)
For more news on the U.S. Senate race in Tennessee, go to keyword SENATE at Tennessean.com, and check out our election blog, “Political Countdown,” at http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/NEWS0206/61018015&theme=ELECTIONBLOG&template=theme.

http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061103/NEWS0206/61103027

[SharonAnn]

6. 58% of my precinct has already voted. Won't be many left for Tuesday

[bigdarryl]

7. But Ford is supposed to be 10 points behind

You can't tell me that record number of voters are voting for the republicans

[GOPS Worst Fear]

8. I agree

You can't tell me that either. I can't believe people would be that rascist as to let a commerical dictate how they vote for Senator. But that a Rove move that works. He's a true rascist.

[jarab]

9. Smart move, for them ...

NWS predicts rain showers over much of the state - not westernmost - most of the day.

...O...

[talk hard]

10. Fords run a good race

[cobaindrain]

11. all voting for a change hopefully

People don't turn out in such large numbers to maintain the status quo!