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DEL.ICIO.USGet ready for a very long Tuesday night. Which could last until Friday.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just after last night’s debate of U.S. Senate candidates, this note was sent by Randy Evans, a member of the State Elections Board, warning that the results of Tuesday’s elections could take a very long while to develop:
Based on the most recent data, it appears that there are in fact three real reasons regarding why Georgia may not know the winner of the 2008 general election until Wednesday, or maybe even Friday.
- Lines of voters at polling places may extend the time that votes are being cast. Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Tuesday. There will be no change to that. Folks in line at 7 p.m. will be permitted to cast their ballot, even if their vote is cast after 7 p.m. (as long as the voter was in line at 7 p.m.)
If we have a two- to four-hour line, as expected in many precincts around Georgia, it could be 9 p.m. or later before voters are done. Counties that finish earlier can start to tabulate votes immediately and some returns will come in early. However, the outcome will likely have to wait until all votes are in, and then tabulated. This could be late on Tuesday or possibly on Wednesday morning.
Absentee ballots will have to be counted. There have been many absentee ballots cast in this election. Paper mail-in absentee ballots will have to be counted. In addition, the in-person absentee ballots will have to be tabulated. This will be hundreds of thousands of votes. In addition, because absentee votes are segregated, they are open to challenge in the event there are indications of voter fraud. Hence, in addition to the time required for counting and tabulation, there are the challenges associated with any improper absentee ballots.
Finally, there are the provisional ballots and the challenged ballots. For provisional ballots, voters have 48 hours to supply the information (like their photo ID) to establish that their vote should be counted. For disputed ballots, it can be a time consuming process - especially given the number of ballots involved.
In other words, don’t schedule any meetings for early Wednesday morning. We’re in for a long, long night.
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Comments
By Jeff
November 3, 2008 8:04 AM | Link to this
Yeah, that much was known. After all, this election could come down to 7 EC votes. Coincidentally, the very last two states to vote - Alaska and Hawaii - have exactly that number, and polls don’t close in HA until midnight in GA.
It will be 10p here before polls even close in Cali, Oregon, Wash State, Idaho, and Nevada.
But fortunately this level of election (Presidential) only happens once every four years. Meaning that like child birth pains, it is both forgotten exactly how stressful it is, and stress levels are both over and under estimated when it comes again.
By Why is the high tech method....
November 3, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this
slower than the old fashioned method?
We have certainly spent a LOT of money on a system that is poor at best.
By bob from the "Red" state
November 3, 2008 9:09 AM | Link to this
I had my great ANTI-OSAMA (oops, I mean Obama) weekend!
I went target shooting on Saturday, worked hard in the yard on Saturday afternoon, watched a patriotic movie on Saturday night, went to church Sunday morning, worked on “work” related items (i.e. earning my income), and I closed out the day watching the Thrashers win in “Red”land.
What a great weekend!
BTW — waiting all week will do nothing to save this country, with the prospect of Obama in office — get ready for steep unemployment and a solid economic downturn.
By Jessica
November 3, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this
I feel like it will be mid-day Wednesday before we know who is the winners are. I have no problem with that as long as the results are honest. We will certainly not know the outcome of any of the races on Tuesday night so everyone might as well go to bed and prepare for Wednesday’s outcomes.
By fred
November 3, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this
bob,
You forgot to add you slept with your cousin.
By GimmeYoDolla
November 3, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this
Bob wrote: the prospect of Obama in office — get ready for steep unemployment and a solid economic downturn.
And where have you been the last 8 years wtih Bush in office? I can’t believe you been completely satisfied with his administration
By Chris
November 3, 2008 9:36 AM | Link to this
I want to thank the thugs out there for their protests over the weekend. I love watching the news and getting a good laugh at the losers who protest. What really blow me away is that the thugs never cared about elections until this year, when a black guy is running. Did Al Sharpton and the other “black leaders” care in 2000 or 2004? N O P E!!! Go ahead, vote for Obama for the color of his skin. We all know how pathetic “black leadership” is.
By LOL at Chris
November 3, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this
While you are thanking the “thugs” Chris, tell your mother I said hello because anyone that would give birth to such a low life must be a thug herself.
By shut up already
November 3, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
I will never understand how somebody is wrong for wanting more people to vote. People should not be lazy about voting but it certainly does not hurt anything to extend the polls. What are you so afraid of Chris? If the will of the people is for your candidate then he will be elected. If not then he will not and you can move to Alabama. And someone trying to vote is not a thug. Just go ahead and drop the N-bomb you wanted to use and quit hiding behind slurs.
By LOL at Chris
November 3, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this
Chris is just mad, that’s all.
He won’t be the only one shouting racial slurs today and tomorrow.
Hiding behind those white sheets must be real hard Chris. Go out in the street today at lunch and tell the world how you really feel coward.
Yeah, I thought so!
By Far Southj
November 3, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this
Thought you might like to read the following:
A little over one year ago: 1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high; 2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon; 3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%. Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we have seen: 1) Consumer confidence plummet; 2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $4.10 a gallon; 3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase); 4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value evaporate (stock and mutual fund losses); 5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion dollars; 6) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure. 7) Food prices skyrocketing over 30% in 1 year.
America voted for change in 2006, and we got it!
Remember, it is Congress that makes the laws and spends our money -not the President. He has to work with what’s handed to him.
By shut up already
November 3, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this
I will never understand how somebody is wrong for wanting more people to vote. People should not be lazy about voting but it certainly does not hurt anything to extend the polls. What are you so afraid of Chris? If the will of the people is for your candidate then he will be elected. If not then he will not and you can move to Alabama. And someone trying to vote is not a thug. Just go ahead and drop the N-bomb you wanted to use and quit hiding behind slurs.
By Chris
November 3, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this
See you all prove my point. Like I said, it’s funny how no black people cared about elections until a BLACK MAN decided to run. I would bet anything that if you asked all of the thug voters about Obama Bin Laden’s beliefs or why they are voting for him, most would not know. The whole point is that the thugs are voting for Obama simply because he is black. I have not seen ANY blacks at the
By CAP
November 3, 2008 10:17 AM | Link to this
It really doesn’t do any good to state facts regarding who did what! The Decmocrats nor the Republicans will never admit they are responsible for any of today’s woes! The housing market, I truly believe was the straw that broke the camels back….when I sold my house, (with no money down, and the buyer got mad when she didn’t get as much cash back as she expected at closing)! What happened to responsiblity and having enough money for a down payment?? She was a 21 year old women with no income and her boyfriend while looking at the house stole our CC and proceeded to charge it up…….and then a few months later the house was foreclosed on! That is why we are in such a state today! I would like to have my candidate John McCain as president because of the issues he stands for……I am sick, sick, sick of people always pulling the race card…….as a white caucasian I can truly say, I don’t care if the man is purple, blue or black as long as I agree with the issues he stands for! I would vote for him……I can only Pray that the people today that vote for their candidate are voting because of the issues and not the color of their skin!
By Still in awe
November 3, 2008 10:26 AM | Link to this
Chris, just for the record, all of the black people voting for Obama are not thugs, what about all the white people voting for him, are they PWT? I mean come on, its people like you and your stupid ideas that are going to incite violence across America. Black people are voting for Obama because he is the best candidate, and there has never been an opportunity to vote for a black candidate that had the credentials to become president. He has what it takes to be the President, he is not the Anti-christ, he is not the Lord and Savior, he is what the country needs at this time. Don’t worry white people, you’ll have your chance again. It appears Chris you are more thuggish than any black person standing in line to vote, and if you recall, black people did come out in record numbers to vote in 2000 and 2004, only it didn’t matter, the election was still stolen, by whom…..
By The Snark
November 3, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this
Who cares what Randy Evans says? The man thinks Newt Gingrich is a genius. It is exactly this bunch of mediocre pseudo-intellectuals who put our government and our economy into the ditch with their ideology.
By ALREADY FED UP
November 3, 2008 11:28 AM | Link to this
I am just hoping if Obama does get in office, everytime I disagree with him, every time he is featured in a political cartoon, everytime there is a protest on a policy, it’s not “just because he is black” I got a feeling that race card is going to be worn out. If it is, a lot of whites will never vote for a black guy again. If the majority of blacks handle this with dignity, and grace, the next man (or woman) will have a much better chance. Let’s just give them a open minded chance and see what happens.
By ALREADY FED UP
November 3, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this
I am just hoping if Obama does get in office, everytime I disagree with him, every time he is featured in a political cartoon, everytime there is a protest on a policy, it’s not “just because he is black” I got a feeling that race card is going to be worn out. If it is, a lot of whites will never vote for a black guy again. If the majority of blacks handle this with dignity, and grace, the next man (or woman) will have a much better chance. Let’s just give them a open minded chance and see what happens.
By Aaron Burr V. Mexico
November 3, 2008 12:45 PM | Link to this
No of course not Already fed Up, we (most of us anyway) don’t think you’re racist if you disagree with Obama.
We just think you’re stupid and ignorant.
By Copyleft
November 3, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this
Personally, I like forward to calling all of President Obama’s critics “anti-American,” as blog poster Dusty has taught us these past few years.
By Craig
November 3, 2008 2:22 PM | Link to this
Which Friday?
By The Oddball
November 3, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this
ALREADY FED UP:
I am hoping that the race card is already worn out.
Throughout this campaign, Sen. Obama has never once claimed that he was being attacked for his race. He has criticized the campaign against him, sure — but he has never blamed it on race, or asked to be treated specially because of his race. And give Sen. McCain his due: though he has stooped to some pretty lame scare tactics, he has not stooped to the kind of race-baiting so often used by others of his party in the past.
This makes me believe that if Sen. Obama is elected President tomorrow, we will have a black man in power who will not blame adversity or criticism on race. And that simple fact, more than anything, may spell the end of the “race card.”
Good riddance.
By LuvUAll
November 3, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this
Black people who vote for black people are thugs? White people who vote for black people are thugs? White people who vote for white people are thugs? Black people who vote for white people are thugs? People who hate other people are thugs!
By Kim
November 3, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this
**By fred
November 3, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this
bob,
You forgot to add you slept with your cousin.**
Thank you Fred. That was priceless ;)
By why all the animosity?
November 4, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this
I am an educated black woman and I take offense to both sides of this argument happening here. The fact is, all black people will vote for Obama because he is black. For certain, he is a great candidate but if McCain were the same as Obama, only white, we would still vote for the black candidate. I think it is funny that we don’t acknowledge that, while Obama is of African decent, he is half white and raised by white people. He combines the best of both white and black. This is such a good opportunity for all of us in America to bond together behind a good man. He is smart and has the most to prove and for that reason, I believe he will not let himself fail. I hope I get the message to both white and black people that racism on both sides just hurts everyone. White people…get over yourself, we are just as smart and capable. Black people…relax the attitude. You can be whatever you want. Nobody is holding you back but yourself.