Here’s the scene at my home precinct, 13-24 – a pretty little neighborhood hiding in the shadow of the Intersection of Death. Voters started showing up around 6 AM, fully an hour before the polls opened. By 7 AM, 300 people had arrived, most of whom were in a line snaking throughout the precinct building’s interior. Here’s the tail end.
State Senator Rich Madaleno (second from left) and Delegate Jeff Waldstreicher (third from left) came by to cheer on the Democratic volunteers. Note how the crew’s youngest member dressed up for the occasion.
This cheerful lady is a member of MCEA’s famous Apple Ballot legions. The 800-pound Gorilla’s goals this year are electing Phil Kauffman and Laura Berthiaume to the school board and defeating the much-detested Ficker Amendment.
Here is one of hundreds of thousands of MCDCC sample ballots being distributed to a voter. If the slots referendum vote is close in other parts of the state, the MoCo Dems’ sample ballot will probably defeat it. As we have previously reported, the county’s Democratic Party voted to oppose its own governor and urge its members to vote against slots.
In my precinct, there were 1,975 registered voters and 1,463 cards cast in the 2004 General Election – a turnout rate of 74%. As of 3:30 today, there were 2,050 registered voters and 1,250 cards cast – a turnout rate of 61% prior to the evening rush. Poll workers expect at least 200 absentee ballots. It is entirely possible that turnout here could approach 90%.
We’ll be back later to look at some results in Maryland and Montgomery County as soon as the data comes in!