I think that in order to really understand the impact of racial voting, we need to see not only the breakdown of the vote but a normalized view based on relative density in the population.  I am not a demographer, but my sense is that the overall non-white population has been growing relative to the white population.  If this is the case and if it is the case the Obama has created a more permanent Democratic affiliation in the non-white population, then this creates some basis for arguing that the Democratic majority is sustainable over a longer term than just one election.  In other words, the more interesting racial question is whether this election was an "Obama-effect" that won't last beyond this election or this candidate or whether it is symptomatic of a general realignment of electoral power from whites to non-whites and whether that realignment favors the Democratic party.

I am facinated by bumper stickers. I always have been. I can't help but look to see what people have to say, what they believe in and what they choose to support publicly as they drive around town. It's no surprise then that I have a few bumper stickers of my own. Lots of people I know don't like bumper stickers, they argue that they are even unsafe since they give away a lot of personal information. But, well, I just couldn't help myself. My car is hardly very flashy as is, so I see no harm in spicing her up with a little bling.

However, my facination with bumper stickers has been fanned and ignited from a mild interest to a full blown obsession with this election. You see, I live in a suburb in Florida that is kind of a big deal right now. According to the polls, it is still one of the fewer areas in Floirda that they cannot predict for this election. And our state overall is still on the fence as to which way it will go. So depending on how my neighbors vote, the results for this county might actually help determine whether we become a red or blue state tomorrow. The people driving in the cars all around me could help decide who our next president will be. So when I started seeing campaign stickers plastered on the backs of cars in my area, I couldn't help but take notice. I was literally seeing who these drivers will vote for.

Last September, I started a little poll in my car. Since about the second week of that month, I started keeping track of every Obama and McCain bumper sticker that I saw. I was curious to see if my poll might reflect the polls for our state. Plus it helped me feel like I could have some sort of "heads up" about which way the area I lived in was voting. I was curious if I was the only Obama supporter for miles. It turns out I'm not.

I should also note here that I didn't count any signs or other parphenalia that I saw. (Until recently, the large majority of signs were for McCain.) And I tried to be very careful never to count the same car twice. (For instance, kindergarten pick up means seeing many of the same cars everyday.) And even if a car was covered in Obama stickers, it was only counted once. I also continued my poll if I drove out of my area. I drove to Orlando twice during my poll and counted the stickers I saw. I am not sure how scientific my methods were but, for the last month and a half, I have been on hyper bumper sticker alert, hunting down stickers at every traffic light, traffic jam and parking lot I found myself at.

And now - cue drum roll - a day away from our national presidential election, I would like to present you with my results.

Total cars with bumper stickers: 114

Obama bumper stickers: 62 (54%)

McCain bumper stickers: 52 (45%)

It looks like Obama won, right? Well, I should also tell you that I attended an Obama meeting and counted 9 stickers there (I am sure there were more but thats as many as I actually saw). So, if I hadn't attended that meeting, Obama would have only won in this poll by one bumper sticker.

So what does it tell me? Of the sample of cars I saw during my drives around town daily, the polls reflect pretty much what I saw. Elections results for this area of Tampa are going to be very CLOSE tomorrow.

And now, back to wringing my hands and hoping all goes well tomorrow.

Link:
http://morningsidemom.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/an-election-poll-the-bumper-stickers-ive-seen-in-florida/

Opening of the Democratic Office in Madison Heights-Amherst,VA

"The battle for Virginia is crucial in the 2008 election. This was the cutting of the red ribbon opening it." -Mel Rosenthal

Road into Lovingston Nelson County, VA

At Charlottesville, VA's Democratic Office

"I am enthusiastic about Obama. First, because of his breathtaking intellect. But even more important, because of his capacity to inspire people to be unified." -David Slutsky, a worker for Obama.

"I've always been a democrat, but I've have skepticism about both sides. I originally believed in Hillary Clinton, but I moved to Obama. I see him as a powerful unifing force reminiscent of FDR." -Anonymous

College Professor working to make Obama President

© Mel Rosenthal

Obama Booth at the Apple Festival In Amherst County, Virginia. She is working hard to recruit voters for Obama in conservative central VA. © Mel Rosenthal

She calls her car Obama girl and she is for Obama for President. © Mel Rosenthal

 © Chris Teague, 2008

Shot in Ellenville, New York on 17 August 2008.

© Marvin Heiferman