Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Third Election Reports from Citizen Journalists: GOP Surge

 
The following reports were received via the Breitbart News ELECTION TIP LINE (noreply@breitbart.com) between 8:20 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. EST, Election Day, November 6. We have been overwhelmed by your response--there are literally hundreds more reports--we are trying to post as many as possible. The overall feeling is that Republicans are turning out in force--and voters feel like they are part of something big, something historic and wonderful:

Alabama
44 degrees F at 07:15 a.m.
Arizona
I've been voting in the same district in Scottsdale for the last 16 years.  It is a heavy republican district and I show up at 10:00 to avoid the morning rush and usually there are only a few people in line.   Today however, it was packed with at least 30 people in front of me and when I left the line was longer than when arrived.   If my polling location is indicative of other republican districts this will be a good night for Romney.


California
1. Surprisingly long line at my usually dead polling place, although I am not sure how much of that is actually an increase in turnout or just because the insane number of city and state propositions means it takes several minutes for each person to cast a ballot. No question how SF and CA are going to vote for president (although high turnout for local candidates and issues could help contribute to Obama's popular vote tallies)  but I am still hopeful that Californians will vote down the various tax increases and hare-brained schemes put before us.
2. Score it Romney 2, Obama 0 from our household. I was an alternate delegate to the GOP convention from CA, but had to stay home to manage my business in these tough times! I'm also proud to say my wife, a lifelong Democrat, voted Republican - Mitt Romney - for the first time in her life!  We also voted YES on Prop 37 (Genetically Modified Food labeling), hoping CA sets a mandate for GMO labeling across America. Unlike swing states, our polling station was virtually vacant. I wish we could have cast a ballot in OH, WI, VA or PA, but we're doing all we can from the west coast and hoping Mitt pulls this one out!
3. In 2008 about every front yard here in Marxist Central Oakland CA had an Obama lawn sign.
Now 2012 while walking through the neighborhood, saw only 2 signs of which 1 was actually a recycled one of 2008. No Obama posters in windows either.
Voting station was quiet and orderly, about 10 people waiting in line.
Looks Obama did a great job suppression his own voter enthusiasm and turnout.
4. I live in a suburb of Sacramento. It's a fairly conservative area but close enough to San Francisco to still see a fair number of liberal voters. In 2008 all of the enthusiasm was in Obama's direction. The yard signs and bumper stickers all had the ubiquitous "O" and if you weren't voting for Obama you didn't bring up politics in polite company.
What a difference four years makes. This time around you can hardly find an "O" sticker on any car but there are plenty of Romney/Ryan signs and stickers on display. The polls this morning also told a vastly different tale than 2008 did. When I went to vote last time there was only one other voter in the room with me. This time there was a line when I got there and a longer line when I left. I can't say for sure if the momentum is in Romney's direction, but voters are certainly more interested in showing up to vote than they have been in a long time.
Colorado
Friends in rural El Paso county never received absentee ballot.  When they called they were told their ballot had been returned with "Deceased" written on the envelope.  Due to the Romney sign in their front yard, a neighbor got in their mailbox and returned ballot.

Don't fear!  They stood in line for early voting for 3 hours.
Connecticut
1. I voted at 10:30 this morning in Riverside, CT, an upper-middle class but not super-duper wealthy part of Greenwich CT. No change in voting routine due to Sandy. The usual nice older ladies were checking IDs. There were no lines. No funny business. It was interesting that there were no people hanging around outside the 75 yard line making last minute pitches, in contrast to other years.
2. From 6:00 Am until 8:30 AM a nonstop flow of people turnout in our Town will be near 90%. More people stopping at the republican tent on way out than any democratic tent.
Florida
1. On Merritt Island Florida there is not an Obama sign to be seen! Lines about 1/2 block long at 10:30 a.m. and the energy and mood were positive and clearly the people were not voting for Obama.  Poll worker said it was steady all morning. Obama campaign didn't even bother to put up Obama signs in the alloted spots outside the polling station.  :)
2. Tarpon Springs, FL
I voted later than I had planned to this morning because at 8am the lines at my small voting precinct were out the door. I have been here for ten years and never have I seen this kind of turnout. The other polling places that I have passed are even busier, with much longer lines. Thirty to one, Romney signs to Obama in this area.
3. I live in a very red FL county and my tiny precinct had very high turnout this morning. This can no doubt can be credited to Republican intensity, since we don't usually have to wait to vote. We waited 30 minutes on this cloudy and rainy morning.
4. Early voting for 7 days, the lines never less than 2 hours.  Went to polling place this morning at 6:30am for 7am opening  The line was already 75 yards long. Finished voting at 8am, the line was about 3 hours long.
Saw virtually no 18 ~ 25 year old folks & lots of 55 & up. No-one that I spoke with in line had ever seen such huge numbers of people turning out to vote. Many folks in line were vocally disgusted with ALL politicians. Very peaceful and friendly in line.
5. Arrived At 7 am sharp--line already through the parking lot and out to the street. Seen some people leave the line before voting.
Had one young lady campaigning down the line for the local Dem. running for office; someone gave her a little grief and she left. Someone from the Dem. party set up a table in the entrance of the driveway handing out Dem. voter information.
Took me 1 1/2 hours to vote once in the voting room only about 6 voting stations with privacy other than that you sat at big round tables with others to fill out your ballot no privacy...thought that was little odd never had vote like that before. Only had two poll workers checking people in. All in all, uneventful.
6. Indian River County
I went to vote at 7 AM at my usual polling place. I have NEVER had to wait more than a minute to get my ballot until today. When I arrived there were at least 100 people in front of me. It was possibly closer to 150.
The political view of this county is dependably Republican and people are really excited but scared. In early voting 46,871 out of 94,014 have voted. Here at Republican HQ we have actually had democrats come in and donate money. In this county we already have almost twice as many Democrats to begin with.
So, overall we're pretty jazzed.
Illinois
I was in line to vote right at 6 am this morning when the polls opened. My father escaped from a communist country to come to the US....To come toward freedom.
Based on the horrible things he's lived through, and the lack of freedom he endured for so many years, I consider voting not only my right, but my duty as a citizen. The lines could take 5 hours and I would happily wait my turn and exercise my voice.
Nothing would have prevented me from voting for our next President, Mitt Romney.

I voted in the River North area of Chicago. About 1/2 the people looked annoyed at the very long lines already forming. We were told some poll judges didn't show up so things were running poorly including (1) a poll judge who forgot he was supposed to initial the ballots before people voted (did that invalidate the votes of people who didn't get initialed ballots???), (2) the same judge who stared at my ballot when I fed it into the counting machine so he could see for whom I voted and (3) the same judge yet again who gave a fully filled out ballot (with, you guessed it, votes marked for all the Democratic candidates) to the woman ahead of me .... Bless her she noticed and returned it rather angrily.
Overall, the judges seemed overwhelmed and not too knowledgable. I hope my vote gets counted, but there's no way to be certain in "vote early-vote often" Chicago.
God bless the US and God bless Mitt Romney.
Indiana
1. I waited in the longest line I've ever experienced to vote - just shy of a two hour wait, most of which was outdoors in the COLD.  I live in Carmel, IN, which is in Hamilton County.  ALL Hamilton County voting precincts did experience trouble early in the morning.  ALL of their voting machines required reprogramming (the cards that clear the machine after each voter were programmed on a machine that was NOT programmed for the 2012 election, so none worked).
The mood was good.  My impression was that conservatives were around me in line as evidenced by talk that we are not seeing ALL of what is going bad in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.  The media will not report the true extent of that till AFTER the election, if at all.  Thus, conservative voters...  ;)
2. I was at the polls at 6:00AM. Normally there are only 6-12 voters.  Today there was probably 30 voters there when I arrived and 50-60 by the time I left at 6:20.  I live in a county so Republican that we have offices that there are no Democrat running.  Everyone that I talked to wanted to make sure that their vote was made.
I talked to one man that claimed to be 49 years old and a first time voter.  He told me the whole political process has always made him so mad that he refused to participate. But, this year he had to vote to send a message that change is needed.
3. I live in West Lafayette, IN, lines were long, took 25 minutes to vote but about same as last time.  Very orderly, people in good mood and yet seemed to be very determined.  Electronic voter machines were easy, no problems.  Reports of very large crowds voting early over the weekend.  Lines took 1-1/2 hours to vote.
Iowa
Voted for Romney in Obama strong hold in Des Monies. At 7am there were no lines. In 2008 line was out the door. Looks like low turnout for Obama.
Maryland
I got there at 6:40 am , I was expecting a long line, but there were only like 14 people there waiting in their cars, by the time they opened the polling place, there were like 35 people or less.
Nowhere near what it was in 2008. And this is Obama land.
Massachusetts
1. I voted at 7:10 AM in Leicester Massachusetts.  I have never seen so many people there, even in 2008.  Line out to Route 56 (picture attached)  Overflow parking in Becker College parking lot was almost full.  I don't know what this means as Obama is supposed to have an insurmountable lead and Scott Brown is is serious trouble.
2. My name is Helena and I'm on twitter as @Raging_Red. I voted this morning at 7am when the polls opened in Mansfield, MA. Environment was what I'd call quiet enthusiasm/optimistic - very long lines, but everyone was happy and orderly - no funny business.



I have a pic of the line to get in when I arrived - see attached.


You guys do great work - thank you for everything you do!


Cheers to a new President and the end of SOCIALISM! Michigan
1. Polling in Grand Rapids Michigan is VERY HEAVY...I work at a Catholic School and many of our families came late this morning as the lines were 1-1/2 hours long.
EVERYONE that comes into the office remarks how they have NEVER seen it like this. (and they are coming from all over the greater Grand Rapids area) *I* voted at 11am and had a 50 minute wait.
People are SO optimistic.
2. Ann Arbor is heavily Democratic...so I think Romney/Ryan may have a tough time here. The polls were packed at 9AM. It took about One hour, 45 minutes to get through.  Usually you can walk right up and vote, no waiting. They did require identification and checked for it twice, but they did that at every election I can remember. They also enter into the computer that you vote, so there is no duplicate voting allowed. They do check to make sure of that as well. We used paper ballots but the handicap voting terminal was the electronic version.
Everyone was very friendly...no problems. However,  I did put up Romney/Ryan signs on Sunday night around 10 PM and they were smashed to the ground by 9 AM Monday morning and replaced with Obama signs. By 5:30 the Romney signs were completely gone and more Obama signs in their place. I had climbed to the top of an overpass to put Romney signs up high and those were completely removed as well.
3. We are hardly in so-goes the nation-land (Iron River, Upper Penninsula, MI where there are more bears in the county than people) but I was amazed to find that you couldn't park within 2 blocks of the polling place at 9:30 in the morning. Having moved up from an urban area I had not anticipated this - usually close to no traffic at all. People were enthusiastic and while things moved quickly (even with paper ballots and a number of propositions) there was a consistant line of determined voters, even with light snow. It was mentioned that it had been like that most of the day. This is pretty much like the 50's where everyone knows everybody and no foolishness was happening but having avoided the before work crowd, the volume was a surprise as was the mix of a lot of 'retired' and young voters.
Minnesota
1. Orono, MN
Turnout large, no place to park. Will try later.
2. Eden Prairie (Minneapolis), MN - 7:50am:
Doors opened to approximately 400 voters at 7:00 am. Energy level high. People really want to vote. So good to see turnout like this. Greater participation than previous years voting at the same time. C'mon America!
3. Eden Prairie, MN
I have never seen this many voters at our polling place. Huge turnout. Obviously a very, very blue state but my sense is the RED is coming on like a force to be reckoned with. This was at 7:20 a.m. cst.
Missouri
I am in Clayton Missouri (suburb of St. Louis) 63105 zip.  I went to vote at the Clayton Rec Center about 10 a.m.   There were about 50 people there and more coming.  It took about 30 minutes.  We DO have to show a photo ID.  No one complained - everyone seemed in good spirits.  No funny business - chit chat amongst strangers.
The woman next to me said her daughter went to college in 08 at a small liberal arts collect in Ohio and she waited for 8 hours in a line to vote.  The person ahead of her daughter had an opposing viewpoint so they almost decided (since they canceled each other out) to leave. But they stayed.
I'm not sure it is the right thing to pray for Romney to win so I simply pray for the best thing to happen for our country to bring it back.  I am not sure we can do this for four more years.

New Hampshire
Merriamck, NH
WOW, I have never seen the turnout like today.
I went to the polls at 10:30 a.m. (thought middle morning would be slower). Boy was I suprised, hundreds of people there (out of a town of 30K), I had to park more than 500 yards away and walk, with steady streams of people and cars coming and going. Who does this favor? Don't know, but the ratio of Romney signs to Obama signs on the drive to the polling station was 43:4 (I counted).
This is in a town that is nominally Replublican, but where registered independents outnumber either Replublican or Democrats and comes close to beating them combined.
New Jersey
1. Cast my vote for America's Comeback Team at 8am this morning.
The New Brunswick poll for Ward 5 was held at the First Reformed Church at 9 Bayard Lane. I was surprised to see just one voting booth in such a densely populated area. The line was not overly long, maybe 15 people.
One voter asked them why they only had one booth and the voting observer responded that "its only busy in the morning and evening, so there wouldn't be much wait from 9am to 5pm."
Apparently, the folks that observe these voting sites don't realize that the vast majority of folks have to vote before and after work... But then again, with unemployment so high, I guess he has a point.
2. My polling place was really dead, which is a great thing given where I live:  I am one of the few Republicans in my area.  After I got done voting, someone identified my wife and me to others as a Republican.  Then, a middle aged African American woman ran up to me and thanked me for voting Republican!  That is a first!!  Go Romney.
New York
1. Most people are taking it as "business as usual"  Many were starting to get ticked off by the inept poll workers and never receiving a card in the mail with their Assembly and Election District.  Lines were probably half as long as last year.
We did our ballots on scantrons.  We then bring the ballots to be read by a machine.  All three of the machines were broken.  They had us all dump our ballots into an "emergency ballot" box.  I know NY is obviously not competitive, but I still felt jilted.  I know no one is going back to count those votes.
2. Stewart Manor, Long Island New York.
I voted at around 8AM.  There were no lines.  Notably, the voting machines were not working and we had to manually fill in the ballot.  The older gentlemen explained that when they finally got it working that the ballots would be scanned by the staff.   Also, as usual, no ID was required.  I pointed out my name on the sheet and then signed next to my signature.


That's it.  So if you call no voter verification process and broken machines normal, then normal it was.
North Carolina
I live on the east coast in NC - Currituck County and there seems to be a buzz in these parts. Went to our voting station for our county and the parking lot was doubled in size and full and when we went in we actually had to get in line and wait to vote even though there were 2 - 3 times more voting booths.  Crazy - the first thing I thought when we walked in was - "Wow, this place is rolling! Lots of people and activity compared to 2008.
Ohio
1. Voted today at 7:20 AM in Columbus, Ohio. I went in on today at my polling location and did not have to wait to vote. Poll worker said there was a long line at 6:30 (poll opening). No incidents, touch screen worked perfectly, triple checked my vote through the window that shows the papers tracking tape. No errors or anomalies.

For the past several days the early voting location has had lines up to 3 hours long. I think the early vote has eaten up most of the support for Obama. Only thing remaining to be seen is if Ohio voters have learned enough in the last four years to make the right choice.
2. I am in Clermont County Ohio, which is right outside of the Cincinnati city limits.  The polling location is packed and the mood is high. There were chants of America and Romney throughout the crowd.  The SEIU were in attendance at the entrance of the church, but they looked miserable and dis-heartened by the impending doom of their dear leader. Ohio will go Romney and to be frank, it will not be even close. Obama may win the Cleveland area and maybe Akron, but Romney will take the Cincinnati area with ease and probably Columbus and Toledo.  This is going to be a great day for America.  God Bless and always remember, I AM BREITBART.
3. Much shorter lines in near downtown Cincinnati in democrat predominant areas.
Oklahoma
I am in Norman, Oklahoma in a Republican district that voted strong for McCain 4 years ago. However, when I voted 4 years ago at the same polling location, I waited less than 5 minutes to vote. Today, I waited an hour and 15 minutes to vote and the line was growing. I believe the Republican intensity is high. Republicans don't hold signs and urinate in parks. They vote!!!!
Pennsylvania
1. I live in Bucks County, PA and got out to vote at 7 am this morning. There was already a long line and; when signing in, I saw the registers book of voters, with a D or an R after voters name to indicate voter identification. There were probably 70% R's and 30 % D's.Also, in my neighborhood, we have 17 Romney/Ryan signs and only 1 Obama. I think (hope, pray) that PA can go to ROMNEY!!
2. DIRTY TRICKS: There was a woman sitting at a table INSIDE the POLLING PLACE WHERE THE VOTING MACHINES ARE. She was asking everyone who came in WHAT THEIR PARTY AFFILIATION WAS. When questioned WHY she needed to know this information, she told us that she was keeping track of HOW MANY DEMOCRATS were voting. When asked her OFFICIAL POSITION, she stated she was a POLL WATCHER. I then spoke to someone in charge of the Polling Place, and they showed us her Poll Watcher Certificate issued by the County Board of Elections. They told us she was AUTHORIZED to be there and they couldn't throw her out. Many people COMPLAINED that it was ILLEGAL to ask party affiliation, especially ILLEGAL if your only concerned about ONE PARTY. I called and filed a COMPLAINT with the County Board of Elections!!
3. Great line at 7am. People were ready to vote, however where I really saw the excitement was at Starbucks after I voted. People in line to get their coffee seemed pumped up and proud. Lot of "Vote" stickers. I also want to give a shout out to my poll volunteers. Please thank those men and women giving up their time to make this happy. I love my country.
South Carolina
Went over to pay my property taxes this AM, around 9:30 and the parking lot was full of voters.  I drove around 10 minutes looking for parking.  Voting line was two wide, down two hall ways and out the door.  Drove to my precinct, Ocean Drive #2, and waited in line nearly one hour to vote.  They had 9 voting machines in use.
When I left the line was even longer.  The crowd was cheerful and anxious to vote for Romney, except for the one "IBEW" member who was observing.  TAKING AMERICA BACK...........
Texas
I just voted at our local high school here in the Texas Pandhandle (Amarillo, TX).
The line was about 15 people deep, but they're usually isn't a line. One poll worker told me that more people have already voted than in all of 2008....and this was 10:30 in the morning.
We're a heavily Republican district.  Enthusiasm is high!
Virginia
1. 5th district turnout is very heavy with 30 percent in by 10:45. We have never waited in line here before.
2. Got to the polls at around 7:30 - friends were there at 6 and lines were out the door - we must have had 150 in front of us and the line moved quickly.
VIRTUALLY NO Obama team presence out front. In 2008, I had to weave my way through them just to get into the door. Romney team with three pop up tents, ALL ROMNEY SIGNS. Repub sample ballot is green...it was like a green out in line. All over the area no signs of Obama anywhere - 2008 it was like litter after an Occupy Rally.

7 year old asked yesterday "Dad, did the President forget to put his signs out like Mr. Romney?"
VERY, VERY GOOD SIGNS IN COMPARISON TO 2008...Loudon looks like Romney country.
3. I voted at around 11:00 a.m. today in Centreville, VA, which is northern Virginia.  I waited until then because a neighbor said that in the early morning the wait was about an hour.  When I got to the polls, I saw many conservative neighbors, and one friend who is a poll worker told me that it looked good for Romney.  Many of the Romney signs were stolen out of the yards in our neighborhood, but like the Whos in Whoville it didn't stop us from voting for the good guy.  We met outside the polls and felt lifted in spirit.
4. Fauquier County
My wife and I went to vote and took our kids so that they can appreciate the privilege of voting.  We also took our four foreign exchange student from Brazil so that she could get a taste of the American political process.  The lines were longer than I have ever seen them.  Normally I might have had 5 people in front of me and then in/out in 10 min but not today...it took 1 hour and 20 minutes to cast my vote for Mitt and almost all the people in the line were like minded.  I was also proud to show my photo ID and recite my name and address!
4. Virginia Beach
Wanted to let you know that the number of people as compared to 08 are WAY up.  I waited about an hour today as compared to no wait in 08.  People are excited and enthusiastic, looks really good for Mitt.
5. I have lived in Lovingston for 13 years, and have voted in every election since moving there. We vote at the Lovingston Volunteer Fire House, which opens for voting at 6am. I drove to the FS and arrived at 6am. The doors had just opened, and there was already a line of voter waiting to go inside. In all the years I have been there, I have never seen a line out the door, and I have NEVER had to wait. There were 10-15 people in line, and more inside; I probably waited 10 minutes before voting. Most importantly, you HAD to show ID before voting. Most excellent!
Ten minutes for a big urban area would be nothing, but for little Lovingston, in rural Nelson County, Virginia...that's a big deal. Folks were DEFINITELY turning out to vote.
6. I live in Chantilly, Virginia (near Dulles airport) in Loudoun County.
I went by the polling precinct (Little River Elementary School) with my two children today.  My son pointed out the very numerous Romney / Ryan signs everywhere, and after searching found 1 Obama sign (Biden wasn't on the sign, poor guy!) among the dozens of other signs on display.
The people were lined out the door!  The excitement is evident.  Throughout this neighborhood of South Riding, in Loudoun County, a middle-class demographic, I am observing 1 Obama sign for every 25 Romney / Ryan sign.  I'm not sure what the pollsters have been seeing, but everywhere I look, Romney / Ryan excitement is evident.
My only conclusion about the lack of Obama signs is people are afraid to let their neighbors know they would vote for failure again.
7. Northern Virginia - Saratoga elementary school. Two times an Obama worker was inside the polling place passing out yellow Democratic sample ballot right in front of poll worker. When I went up to vote notified the person that took my name that they were doing that. Told them it was against the law to have a campaign worker pass out material inside polling place. Someone then went out to stop them.
8. I live in Virginia Beach, VA in a pretty conservative area (a lot of Romney signs in our neighborhood) My husband went to vote at 6 am and for the first time in the 10 years that we have lived here,  there was a long line and he said that EVERYONE was there and excited about voting for Romney.  He even overheard people that voted for Obama four years ago talking about why they had to change their vote this time.
I am going soon and taking our 19 year old daughter to vote for her first time..for Romney.  I have also registered about 7 new voters in VA that will be casting their vote for Romney.  I feel the TsuROMNEY coming!
9. I just voted in Northampton County on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.  This area has a high percentage of black voters and corresponding typical high democratic vote. This morning my polling place was very busy but not with black turn out which was only about 10%.  It was more like the atmosphere at Fourth of July, lots of retirees and veterans, proudly wearing service hats, as well as people heading off to work.  Plenty of poll workers being respectful and professionally checking IDs against the approved voter list.  There were several local high school students passing out "I voted" stickers.  I'll be taking my parents, who can no longer drive, this afternoon to vote.
10. Wife and I voted at 0610 this morning in Front Royal, VA, 22630.
It was 28 degrees this morning.
Voting line was almost out the door of the voting building.  Overheard voting officials say that turnout was very heavy for this early in the morning.
Folks voting seemed to be almost entirely for Romney - at least as far as I could tell.  Very upbeat and excited to being "firing Obama."
Saw just a very few Obama folks - could tell by their sour facial expressions and one guy with his Obama sweatshirt, hat, and buttons on (I thought you couldn't wear stuff like this in a polling place?).
I did not observe any unusual activity, other than the Obama sweatshirt on one person.
Pray God for a landslide Republican victory!
11. Voting in Arlington, Virginia. We have been standing in line for over 1.5 hours and expect to wait for at least 2 more. The picture below only shows half of the line.

Washington
Just north of Downtown Seattle - 10:08 am - No Lines at the polls considering Washington is "All Mail-in Ballot" -  Happy to say, many fewer Obama 2012 bumper stickers on the plethora of Subaru Station wagons around here.
Not many yard signs for Obama either.  More Romney/Ryan yard signs this time than McCain/Palin yard signs in 2008.  Very anticlimactic election in the Pacific NW considering I dropped my ballot off at the local library over a week ago with no one in sight!
In other news, McKenna/Inslee race for Governor fairly tight, but King County (Seattle) always finds enough votes/ballots for the Democrat after the election ends (See Christine Gregoire)!

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