This is via an email from my friend's mom. Read it to the end if you will. It's why I like Americans:

   Yesterday, I was a poll worker in M-. There was a record turnout in this little Republican stronghold. BUT, in my district alone, there was an increase of 200 voters, bringing the total to 700. And guess what…657 of them got to the polls yesterday. Amazing how connected us "common" folks were to the beautiful message of hope.

   I don't have the numbers, and I don't think Obama carried our little town, but we were different yesterday. A choice was being made. Not the old straight-line Republican exercise of past decades.

   The turnout was huge here. By 6:00 AM, there were 15 people (two in wheelchairs) lined up to vote. I would estimate that more that 90% of M- voted yesterday. Everything was quiet and orderly. In a town where the Democrats and Independents sometimes don't even bother to show up, everyone came. There actually were a few times that voters had to wait for up to 10 minutes. This is very rare in M-. But, no one complained. It was a very, very serious ritual that was being performed yesterday.

   At one point, the teacher of an after-school day care program came in with a group of little kids. They were observing the important event that was taking place, and they were impressed with the sense of purpose the grown-ups were transmitting. They went back to their school to hold their own election… "which breed makes the best pet, cats or dogs"?

   I loved working for the Board of Elections yesterday. To be at a place where I saw the America I remember. When children came to watch the voting process, to help their parents "pull the lever" for Democracy. To be counted among the millions.

   As soon as the polls closed, I went to M — to be with the Obama campaign people I worked with everyday for the last two months. It was an indescribable release of tension and vindication of our tirelessness and dedication to this extraordinary man. We were truly part of an army. And we won the war unconditionally.

   At 9:01, when the West Coast came online and simultaneously declared Obama the president-elect, we all cried and hugged and screamed and cheered. And we felt as one with the 61 million people that were finally able to express the true spirit of this country.

   The world is watching, and is hopeful about America. And my grandchildren live in a different country today. One of hope and promise and optimism. Just like the post-WW2 America I lived in as a child, but better…more inclusive. I helped make that happen. I'm proud of myself today. And of my fellow-Americans.

http://adrianmonck.com

© Adrian Monck 2008

© Jeff Mermelstein

Voting in my neighborhood of Manhattan is normally a ten minute affair.  Drop in, find the correct district, chat with the poll clerks, close the curtain, weep for a moment, cast my ballot, and dash off to work.

Today was completely different (except for the tears; I always cry when I vote).  Four lines, one for each district at my poll site, wrapped around the block like a snake. You would have thought that people were waiting for a glimpse of Britney Spears.

And the crowd was different.  I used to see people who had time to vote.  Today I saw people who made time to vote.

Voices From The Field: Prospect Heights, 4 November 2008, Brooklyn, New York

© Andras Szanto

Democratic Rally for Joe Biden, University of Florida, Gainesville, 2 November 2008.

© Andrea Robbins and Max Becher

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/

© Marc Greene

Locally-made, large homemade signs in Nelson County -- the rural Virginia county between conservative Lynchburg, the more liberal Albemarle County, Charlottesville and the University of Virginia. Nelson County is an interesting cross-section of Virginia voters. Many smaller signs are stolen.

Democrat from Amherst County instrumental in promoting the Obama campaign in this conservative stronghold.

Kira, a recent college graduate and Obama Campaign Field Organizer in Amherst County.

Skipper Fitts at the opening Democratic Office in Amherst County. Skipper has lived in Amherst County since 1970's and never thought that Democrats would ever have a chance here in Virginia.

Lynchburg Obama supporter working out of Democratic office in Lynchburg. Lynchburg is the home of the late Jerry Fallwell and Liberty University.

Another Obama supporter in Lynchburg.

© Perry Tourtellotte

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

© Mark Cohen

One thing I haven't seen coverage of (and that I have conspicuously noticed) is the relative numbers of Obama versus McCain ticket paraphernalia on display. In 2004, the prevalence of Kerry/Bush yard signage was absolutely choking here in Houston. However, this year I can go days without seeing a single expression of support for the McCain ticket - no yard signs, bumper stickers, nothing. In fact, it is exceedingly rare to see a McCain/Palin pronouncement. However, I see Obama merchandise everywhere.

I think there are two likely causes of this: One, the lack of a serious primary season for the republicans did not generate merchandise related to inter-party warfare. It was a foregone conclusion that McCain would be 'that one' for the republicans, so the base just didn't bother getting the brand out there.

Secondly, I feel that there is genuine embarrasment among the non-frothing members of the GOP regarding their candidates, particularly the vapid VP choice. Essentially, saying that you're for McCain/Palin is like saying that you're on your way to see Winger in concert. Putting up a M/P yard sign is like buying the Winger tour t-shirt and wearing it to work the next day.

In the end, Texas will go to the GOP for obvious reasons. But here in Houston, where Bush was very strongly represented (even in the liberal leaning area where I live) McCain is now nowhere to be seen. It can't just be confidence that they'll win Texas - they were confident of that in 2004, too, but I passed hundreds of ads on the way to work each day.

That's because signs and stickers are something that a voter has to do - the GOP and Dems can't just throw signs in yards or sticker cars. It requires that the voter get excited enough to take action on behalf of a party that they want to identify with. Seeing the poor performance of the McCain marketing machine, sales of the GOP product don't look so good for Q4 - I think that come the 4th of November there will be a significant reflection of that lack of interest at the polls.