Democrats outpace Republicans in Oregon voting

[depakid]

Source: The Oregonian

Mail and drop-off ballots poured into county elections offices across Oregon on Monday, with Democrats turning out in larger numbers than Republicans for an election that is expected to produce Democratic gains in much of the country.

By Monday afternoon, 1,365,831 ballots had been returned, amounting to 63 percent of Oregon's 2,166,019 registered voters.



For Republicans, the most worrisome sign was a lag in turnout compared with Democrats. About 70 percent of Oregon Democrats voted compared with 64 percent of Republicans and 50 percent of nonaffiliated voters. Democrats outnumber Republicans statewide by nearly 240,000 voters.

"In order to win, we need our voters to turn out," said Nick Smith, spokesman for House Republicans, who hope to avoid Democrats' gaining a 36-seat "supermajority" in Salem that would damage the GOP's ability to shape policies. "We are making every effort to make the calls and visit the voters and get them to turn in their ballots."

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/11/_mail_and_dropoff_ballots.html#preview

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Not good news for Gordo.

[here_is_to_hope]

1. Outpace?

Naw, more like flooding...
We are Obama Country!

[louis-t]

2. I know 4 diehard repugs here that aren't voting.

1 hunting, 3 out of town. I know they didn't vote absentee and we don't have early voting. Maybe they're over confidant about the theft.

[Xenotime]

3. All the better for us.

[GregW]

4. Eugene checking in...

Believe it or not - actually saw two - count 'em two - McCain yard signs in our neighborhood. Now compared to the dozens and dozens of Obama/Biden signs they are truly the outliers, but was weird to see all the same.

Solid blue in Lane County!

[depakid]

5. In Aloha, there's a property owner who always has huge signs for the major Republicans

on his vacant lot at 185th & Walker Rd.

This year, all you can see are some tiny little yard signs.

Must not be very enthused this go round. Probably lost a lot of money.

[RANDYWILDMAN]

6. my fundie wack job parents,

didn't vote they went to Hawaii instead...:)

the repub base in oregon is shrinking

[David__77]

7. 2004 Figures for Comparison! Woo hoo!

2004 Figures

Democrats
829,197 Registered
736,398 Voted
88.81% Turnout

Republicans
761,717 Registered
683,225 Voted
89.7% Turnout

Total
2,141,249 Registered
1,851,671 Voted
86.48% Turnout

So, the great news is that since 2004, Democrats added 107,538 voters, while Republicans LOST 64,408 voters.

And, if the trend holds, we're getting a bigger fraction of our voters to actually vote than they are as compared with four years ago.

No way it's close or single-digit. I believe Smith is a goner.