Democratic Party Presidential Candidate Barack Obama (D-IL) has opened up a significant lead in the battleground state of Indiana at a time congruent with historic voter excitement in the Hoosier State.
According to the Indianapolis Star, early voting totals in Indiana have already surpassed levels reached during the 2004 presidential election.
CIVIC DUTY, DONE EARLY: People waited in line Friday at Zionsville Town Hall to cast their early votes. - Steve Healey / The Indianapolis Star
By Wednesday, early voting in Marion County had passed the 2004 level of about 27,000, the clerk's office reported. On Friday, total ballots received exceeded 42,200. Voting officials in Bloomington, Evansville, Gary, Terre Haute and Valparaiso were among those joining Indianapolis on a list of areas where early voting figures already had topped early voting totals in 2004.
Northwest Indiana's Lake County -- where Democrats continued to fight a legal battle to keep voting sites in Gary, Hammond and East Chicago open amid Republican fears they create a risk of voter fraud -- has had more than 13,000 early votes cast, compared with a total of 12,683 four years ago.
In the 2004 presidential election, Hoosiers cast 260,550 absentee votes, about 10 percent of the Indiana total.Figures from the Indiana secretary of state's office show that 221,099 votes had been submitted since early voting began Oct. 6 through Thursday.
Source: http://www.indystar.com/...
Some significant county-by-county totals for early voting are as follows:
Marion County, more than 42,230 voters: More than 2,850 filed into two early voting centers Friday, according to Angie Nussmeyer, a spokeswoman for the clerk. That's roughly 600 more than voted in the centers a day earlier. At the J. Everett Light Career Center, the Far Northside voting site, more than 1,700 voted Friday.
Hamilton County, more than 6,345 voters: County Elections Supervisor Kathy Richardson said she estimated more than 1,000 people cast early ballots Friday alone. The average number of voters has been steadily higher each day, she said.
Hendricks County, more than 5,500 voters: More than 500 voters arrived Friday at the Hendricks County Government Center in Danville. It was the busiest day since early voting began Oct. 6. More than 3,500 voters had cast early ballots, County Clerk Cindy Spence said Friday. An additional 2,000 voters already have mailed in absentee ballots.
Hancock County, 2,466 voters: Early voting in Greenfield has been heavy, too, said County Clerk Shari Burris. "But it's moving along fantastic," Burris said Friday afternoon. "Right now, I can look outside and see a line." County officials have received 2,466 ballots and mailed an additional 920 absentee ballots that have not yet been returned.
Johnson County, more than 2,000 voters: Early voters continue to swarm the County Courthouse in Franklin, where election officials have tallied more than 2,000 ballots. "We have been swamped," said Deputy Clerk Reagan Wildman, adding that a line of voters extended the length of the courthouse basement on Friday.
Boone County, more than 1,500 voters: More than 200 people voted Friday at the County Courthouse in Lebanon, up from the previous high of 183 Thursday. Election Supervisor Andrew Wood said he expects the daily rate to remain steady.
Source: http://www.indystar.com/...
As an Obama supporter, I, like many others, wondered if all the new voters we had registered to turn this state Blue would translate to votes. As I look at the cities that are reporting the highest levels of early voting - Bloomington (IU), Evansville (Evansville), Terre Haute (ISU), Gary (IU Northwest), Valparaiso (Valpo), and Indianapolis (Butler, IUPUI) - it is becoming clear that significant numbers of new young voters we have registered are in fact turning out early. If that trend continues through the rest of early voting and into Election Day, this state will experience record turnout that will turn the state Blue for the first time since 1964.
This is a huge shout out to our organizers on the ground and to supporters who have dedicated themselves to electing Barack Obama the next President of the United States. We need to work tirelessly to continue to turn our supporters out early and often over the last ten days of the election. With record voter turnout, yes we can turn Indiana Blue on November 4!
http://democratictribune.com
UPDATED CALL FOR ACTION
I just came from my Tipton, IN early voting location - which is the courthouse. There are four main entrances to the building, but only one - the obscure South entrance - is open on Saturdays for early voting. In addition, there are NO signs on the other three main doors directing voters which entrance to use.
I alerted the Clerk to this fact and even offered to put up informational signs myself. The clerk refused to act on my concern.
Everyone please call the Tipton County Clerk's Office at 765-675-2795 IMMEDIATELY and let them know that their failure to properly disclose the correct entrance could turn away some voters who may believe the office is closed.
This may seem like a small issue, but proper and disclosed voter access is crucial to securing each and every vote!