Hackett, Schmidt Make Dash for Finish Line, Turnout Higher Than Expected

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.channelcincinnati.com/news/4796302/detail.html

HACKETT VS. SCHMIDT

Polls Open: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Hackett, Schmidt Make Dash For Finish Line

Voter Turnout Higher Than Expected

POSTED: 6:12 pm EDT August 1, 2005
UPDATED: 12:17 pm EDT August 2, 2005

CINCINNATI -- The race is close and voter turnout could be higher than expected for the special election to fill the Ohio Second Congressional District seat Tuesday, News 5 reported.

Republican Jean Schmidt was first in line when the polls opened and expressed confidence in her battle with Democrat Paul Hackett. Schmidt voted at a school in her Clermont County precinct. Hackett voted later Tuesday morning at a park lodge in the Cincinnati suburb of Indian Hill.

Both campaigns had TV and radio commercials sweeping the district, while campaign workers focused on get-out-the-vote efforts. Elections officials said on Tuesday that turnout could be as high as 25 percent, a strong showing for a summertime special election.

Both candidates rang doorbells and shook hands with potential voters Monday in the final stages of a campaign that has drawn national attention largely because of Hackett, with his military service and his criticism of Bush.

[Richardo]

1. Let me guess - the exit polls will again be in error, and the Repub wins

Lousy oversampling Democrats. :eyes:

MAn I hope Paul can pull this out - in Diebold land it's an uphill fight.

[wakeme2008]

2. But who is turning out big

Repugs/Dems or BOTH..

I am betting on Dems. :)

[BamaLefty]

9. Let's Hope so n/t

[lynettebro440]

3. I'm betting big money

it is Repubs 51% - Dems 49%. That nasty Diebold program, it only pumps out one result. Just like 2004 all over again.

[iconoclastNYC]

11. No diebold there.

I'm so big on electoral reform but this DIEBOLD chorus is hurting our image as reformers.

It's not all about Diebold. Read the Conyers report.

[Justitia]

4. ohplease ohplease ohplease ohplease....Good Luck Hackett! -eom

[jean]

5. was there a huge influx of repub foot soldiers? My sense is we had

pretty good turnout of volunteers and are canvassing the whole area thoroughly -

if the repubs did a money dump, televising ads every other second but didn't send their physical na'er-do-wells in to pound out the vote and intimidate our side, I'm doing the happy dance!

:bounce:

[ochazuke]

6. My 2 cents of wishful thinking...

Disenchantment with Bush will suppress Republican turnout. Not so many Bushbots will vote for Hackett, but they will stay home, disillusioned about what's going on.

Of course, rage against the Fascist regime will get out the vote among the tiny, tiny number of people who are aware what's going on in the world. And they're Hackett voters, need I say?

Independent voters will break for Hackett because he's a very attractive candidate. If he wins, he might become Ohio's next governor, Senator, then...who knows. Besides, independent voters are either not going to vote because they're turned off by the Iraq failure, or will vote against Bush because it's time for a change.

All this combined might be enough to offset the huge crop of lunatics* that live in OH 2.

*Stark Raving MAD

[Ian David]

14. The Hackett campaign certainly has legs. n/t

[gratuitous]

7. 25% is higher than expected?

I tell ya, vote by mail is terrific. In Oregon, we get about 60% on just about everything, because voting by mail is so convenient.

However, with a 25% return rate, I'd expect Hackett to do pretty good. From what I've been able to glean from the internets, Hackett has mobilized and motivated a lot of people, and Jean Schmidt is one scary hag.

I'm hopeful and trying to beat down my rational side which says Schmidt wins, but with a tiny majority, something like 53-47.

[iconoclastNYC]

13. Vote by mail makes so much sense!

I dont know why it isn't done more.

I know there are fraud implications in vote by mail. But I dont see why they can't be worked around.

[Ian David]

8. I'm making get out the vote calls even as we speak.

http://www.hackettforcongress.com/

I'm mostly getting Little Old Ladies on the phone.

2 hang-ups
3 already voted for Hackett
1 is going to vote for Hackett later

Lots of answering machines.

Go volunteer.

http://www.hackettforcongress.com/

[stray cat]

10. Thanks for your effort. Ignore the hang ups.

Good luck!

[Ian David]

12. I just plug the hang-up phone numbers into spammer's websites

"Yes, I want more information about distributing live earthworms for fun and proffit..."

I'm kidding.

[ellie]

15. That's funny,

when I was canvassing for Kerry last November, I told all of the Bush supporters to make sure they went out to vote on November 3, which was a Wednesday!

[Ian David]

16. Now now, that wouldn't be nice.

I just told them to stand on the yellow line in the middle of the highway and wait for the GOP Bus to take them to the polling place.