According to Rachelk Maddow Show last night, early voting is actually down from 2004

[Bandit]

It is down in Ohio by a lot and in Florida and in Colorado. She said yes there are lines but that is mainly because of a shortage in voting booths and locations and the time cut from twelve hours to eight hours and not an increase in people. She had Dean there to "talk her down" and IMO he didn't really do so. In 2004 big hopes were for the youth vote but when push came to shove they didn't turn out in any higher numbers than they did in 2000 and so far this year in early voting that is true as well. She said over a hundred thousand people turned out to listen to Obama in Denver but after the event only four hundred people actually went in and voted..Very disappointing..This is what scares me more than anything. People can't be bothered to actually vote especially if they think Obama is a shoein because of these early polls.

[newfie11]

1. Maybe they are mailing votes in.

That is happening here in Nebraska.

[AllieB]

2. I heard the opposite. Someone should correct her.

http://donklephant.com/2008/10/18/early-voting-in-north-carolina/

http://blogs.knoxnews.com/knx/silence/archives/2008/10/early_voting_up_1.shtml

http://www.orangeleader.com/homepage/local_story_301211737.html

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=ROS20081025&articleId=10691

[ellie]

3. This is the

first year for early voting in Ohio so I am not sure what she is basing her numbers on.

[DemNoir]

4. Oh Comon

I'm really getting sick of Rachel and her endless negativity. Enough!

[dccrossman]

5. Not correct

She said that early voting had not yet matched early voting in 2004.

Which is correct. Some people think that there has already been so much early voting, that with 4 more days of early voting to go, we've already surpassed 2004 totals and that isn't true.

By the end of the week, it is likely that early voting totals will surpass those of 2004.

Her real goal, IMHO, is to light a fire under people and encourage them to vote early. Like a lot of democrats, she's worried about complacency.

[brianna69]

7. In some states the early voting has already surpassed

the levels of 2004.

[Wickerman]

8. Bingo

She is applying a little psychology, plain and simple. MSNBC does a lot subtle stuff, devil's advocate stuff - mostly it goes over the heads of folks, but subconsciously I think it sinks in.

[brianna69]

6. Rachel's information is false.

Early voting has been off the charts and in many states has already surpassed 2004 levels with democratic ballots greatly outnumbering republican ones. Check out this website to see how outstanding the early voting has been going. I actually sent Rachel an email letting her know her section on early voting was false.

http://elections.gmu.edu/early_vote_2008.html

[RollWithIt]

9. 1.25 Million already voted in Florida as of last night...

So I'm not sure where she is getting her figures from.

[progressiveforever]

10. I saw this too, and found it hard to believe. Early voting in Ohio (continue)

Early voting in Ohio has never been available to the degree that it has now. I believe you had to give a reason in 2004--by 2006, no, but 2004- I think not.

[CoffeeCat]

11. I early voted in 2004---not this time...

My feeling is---I'm casting my vote IN PERSON, on election day. I'm not
mailing anything in. I want to be there, in person--on that day.

It's a symbolic thing for me. Plus, I'm concerned about an early vote
not counting or disappearing into the ether.

After two General Elections that were stolen, I feel that I must do this
in person, and if I see any problems (vote switching, etc) I will raise
holy hell. I feel empowered this year.

Maybe others feel the same?