Election Officials: Turnout 'Light' for Democratic Primary

[Attorney in Texas]

Source: WLTX (CBS affiliate in South Carolina)

Columbia, SC (AP) - Election officials say the turnout for the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary is light so far.

South Carolina Election Commission spokesman Chris Whitmire says there have not been any reported problems with voting and that the commission usually hears if there have been long lines or other issues.

State Democratic leaders say that between 350,000 and 400,000 voters may go to the polls. Last week, a record 740,000 voters cast ballots in the six-way GOP primary in the state.

Read more: http://www.wltx.com/story/news/politics/2016/02/27/election-officials-turnout-light-democratic-primary/81042276/

[retrowire]

1. this is not a good sign for the general. nt

[FailureToCommunicate]

4. S.C. is a red red red state so it matters little for the general

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

5. Except that overall turnout has been light in every state so far. nt

[retrowire]

6. Yep, that's the point I was trying to make. nt

[noretreatnosurrender]

11. Not Surprised

I'm not surprised the Republicans have a higher turnout this year. There are two things working in their favor. We have had a Democratic President for 8 years so you have more Republicans interested in getting a GOP President. When we had Bush for 8 years the Democratic turnout was higher too. The 2nd thing that is boosting turnout is that they have a non establishment candidate running this year. That's pumping them up too. There are a lot of anti-establishment voters on both sides and in the middle. In 2008 we had been out of power for 8 years and we had the 1st Black Presidential nominee running. Of course turnout was higher for us.

[Leontius]

17. It also seems to indicate that all the Sanders event crowds aren't translating into voters.

[noretreatnosurrender]

20. True

No candidate will get everyone who attends a rally to the poll. It just doesn't happen. I've actually been very surprised at how well he's done so far. Almost all of the establishment are supporting his opponent and he's making this a contest. That's phenomenal.

[Carolina]

33. SC is solidly

RED... it'll go repuke in the general.

Don't get discouraged Bernie supporters. There are other, more important states on Tuesday.

[haikugal]

2. No surprise there..

[houston16revival]

3. Apathy and ignorance are giant hurdles

What will it take to wake America up?

[99th_Monkey]

7. What's especially troubling

is that turn-out so far has been up for the GOP, yet down for Dems.

Not a good combo.

Do we have Debbie Downer to thank for this, what with so few debates, and at
predictably low-audience times?

[mountain grammy]

12. I agree, Debbie is a disaster.

All her attention has been focused on Hillary. Wonder what cabinet post she's been promised.

[Attorney in Texas]

13. Worst. Chair. Ever.

[Plucketeer]

30. Secretary of Underhandedness nt

[YOHABLO]

38. She had better not be promised any. Because we the people, will demand her resignation.

[Red Knight]

8. A right wing Supreme Court

A rightwing Senate. A rightwing House. A rightwing President.

That might get their attention.

Or...maybe not.

It's a sad state of affairs. The lunatics vote. But people who should counterbalance that just don't seem to care.

[houston16revival]

10. They are being brainwashed by TV

I talked with a very dumb guy last fall. This guy was Lurch with
Frankenstein shoes. He spontaneously told me to vote for Trump because
he would reverse all of Obama's signing orders.

This guy doesn't know what a signing order is!! They just repeat what they
hear on Faux News and from their friends and coworkers.

This is democracy's Achilles heel. When education is dumbed down, stupid people
determine the course of government.

Enlightened despots would not allow this. Bismarck for example.

[Plucketeer]

31. Four years of President Trump might do it

[YOHABLO]

39. That could mean the total unraveling of the country. Benefits lost, services denied >

we just cannot allow that to happen, so many will suffer. The two Democratic candidates can make all the promises they want. Without placing more Democrats in the House and Senate to regain a majority, just think of the catastrophe a Trump Presidency would be for us. I may have a gut feeling about not trusting Clinton, but I damn sure will be voting for her if she gets the nomination.

[cynzke]

42. People Need To Understand

If GOP makes substantial gains say goodbye to all the progress made by Democrats in the last century in employment, environment, in social justice, etc. To wrest power back to the hands of the middle class and poor will be like trying to recover while struggling to extract oneself from quicksand! Middle class and the poor CAN'T AFFORD to allow the GOP to place three to four conservative judges on the SCOTUS bench. The conservative balance on SCOTUS has been in place since 1969. It will take DECADES to change that. By then the damage will be done, say good bye to the middle class. The country will be OWNED and in the hands of the rich.

[Plucketeer]

43. I totally agree

I'm certainly not advocating for a lunatic in the White House. But the question was what will it take to mobilize American voters to pay attention and do their duty. A slap in the face or a kick in the ass - like a Trump presidency might be the only catalyst to make such happen. You certainly are aware that there's SO MUCH ignorance and apathy "out there". And those tendencies only respond to shock treatments.

[kacekwl]

36. I have come to the conclusion

that we may never wake up. Read an article in Chicago Tribune today interviewing people in SC who said they did not have the TIME to research other candidates and just MAY vote for a familiar name. So we don't have time to find someone to lead our country we don't have time to vote but plenty of time to bitch when things go south. This low turn out really ticks me off .

[msongs]

9. lookslike the revolution is not attracting many revolters lol nt

[Geronimoe]

15. Neither is the coronation of Hillary

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

16. But I thought the polls said Bernie is winning, no? Why aren't people out there stopping Hillary?

[TM99]

34. For all of your supposed protestations about

how bad Clinton equally is, you sure like to support her a lot. You love getting in digs at Sanders and his supporters.

[cynzke]

41. Well Apparently the Revolutionaties Must Think....

Its in the bag for Sanders and therefore no need to come out to vote in the primaries. Hows that working out?

[kacekwl]

37. Low turn out affects

both candidates friend . When Trump is president because we did not vote then maybe that will wipe the LOL off your face

[Bluenorthwest]

14. It's low? I have been told that SC Democrats would crawl over razor blades to vote for Hillary, that

she was insanely popular with extremely loyal and active Democrats there. Where are they all?

[SoapBox]

18. It's just pathetic...

I wonder how many of the none voters are laying in a recliner, complaining about pathetic voter turn out...

Gawd forbid that something like voting get in the way of their gaming or texting.

[onehandle]

19. Bernie clearly doesn't inspire Democratic voters to vote. nt

[noretreatnosurrender]

21. Oh Clearly

[Attorney in Texas]

23. Jewish civil right leader not embraced in former Confederate state; someone ought to alert the media

[onehandle]

24. You should brag about the surge of voters in NH? Oh wait... nt

[iandhr]

22. I saw something that said there was a big increase in the number of absentee ballots.

[azurnoir]

25. the article doesn't say but I'm more interested in how those numbers compare to '08 and '12 n/t

[PatrynXX]

26. She wins in a Conservative State

Shows little to slow the tide of people thinking she's very Conservative. Seem fairly obvous a Liberal can't do much here.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

27. She wins in states where there is more diversity in the Democratic Party.

[onenote]

28. So do you think African Americans everywhere "very conservative' or just in SC?

Since there was huge AA turnout, you must think those are all very conservative people, right?

[Zambero]

32. A lot of deep red states have very progressive minitories

Emphasize small "m", as in numbers of voters. Texas liberals may be smaller in number but by and large are are bluer than blue. Boise ID and Salt Lake City UT are blue dots in a deep sea of red. The presence of larger numbers of Republicans doesn't necessarily mean Democrats will be conservative.

[Thespian2]

29. SC has 9 electoral votes.

The GodOffalParty will get all 9 votes. In a national election, SC electors are not needed to win the presidency.

[iandhr]

35. Unfortunately is to be expected.

It's the reverse situation than 2008. The party that's out of power for eight years is always going to be more motivated.

[YOHABLO]

40. Well I am not sure about that. I think that MSM has played it's part in fear-mongering

Fear is a huge motivator for the older generations. I would say that there is a higher percentage of Republican voters that are over 50 and they tend to be loyal voters in all state and local elections, including the GE.