Arlington, VA Poll Report (high turnout)

I've just returned from my polling place in Arlington, VA (South Arlington, west of I-395) and there was a constant stream of people into the polling place.  Things of note:

My wife went at 8AM this morning and there were >50 people there, and the wait was an hour long!

I went at 10:45AM and there were ~30 people in front of me in line to vote.

It took 25 minutes for me to get to the front of the line.

The length of the line stayed a constant 30 people deep the entire time.

From my very unscientific observations while I was in line, the ratio of Democratic ballots to Republican ballots taken was about 7 to 1, but our neighborhood (and in fact most of Arlington) is very Democratic.

The age, economic, and racial makeup was all over the map, I saw it all as I waited, very encouraging!

So if nothing else, it appears that people are are at least involved, and this bodes well for the Democratic party in November!

•  Sounds like they

  Need some more machines in VA!

  by marcvstraianvs on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:01:13 AM PDT

•  Go Dems! [n/t]

  by jamfan on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:03:33 AM PDT

•  2004

  I was a poll worker in Rosslyn/Courthouse in 2004 and that seems to be not much behind what happened then.

  by Democrat on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:03:38 AM PDT

•  weird, ive heard low turnout, maybe that area

  is the exception? or maybe I heard about MD/DC not VA...

  by rigso on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:06:33 AM PDT

  •  Everywhere I have read and my own

    observations show an overwhelming majority of Democratic voters.  So even if overall turnout is average, the Democratic turnout is probably still high.

    by clambake on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:11:42 AM PDT

    •  well thats good news!

      by rigso on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:13:14 AM PDT

  •  voted at 7 a.m.

    And there was no line at all. 7 poll workers -- 3 voters....although people were coming in from outdoors at about the rate we were leaving.  Made me worry about turnout.

    by walden on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:34:11 AM PDT

    •  Oh, I wouldn't worry about turnout

      This election year is like nothing I have ever seen in my life and I first voted for Jimmy Carter..

      by RubyGal on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:42:56 AM PDT

•  According to National Review and Redstate

  Rethug turnout for Clinton is very heavy.  I fear that this may really cut into the Obama support.

  by IhateBush on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:18:29 AM PDT

  •  but if the republicans do not have a heavy

    turnout and they still have a choice between McCain and Huckabee how many votes could Hillary get. And do not forget Obama is drawing his fair share of republicans.

    by ronnied on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:23:51 AM PDT

  •  I have heard that as well

    A lot of Republicans voting for Hillary as a protest against McCain.  

    Of course these are the same idiots who are going to be complaining about her in years to come if she gets elected, and will have nobody to blame but themselves.  

    by Guy Fawkes on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:29:48 AM PDT

    •  only so many of those idiots...

      will be able to hold their noses and pull the lever for a Clinton, no matter how much it may help their candidate.

      by jeroly on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:33:16 AM PDT

      •  We voted for Romney in MI

        We had no intention of ever voting Republican we just wanted Romney to stay in because we thought he was beatable.

        Rush is telling these people to vote for Hillary because she is the most beatable candidate in November.  It's a strategic vote, I don't think anyone will have a problem doing it.

        -Fred

        by FredFred on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:43:53 AM PDT

        •  A couple of Republicans at my school

          Were advocating exactly this strategy.  Voting for Hillary because they think she is the most beatable in November.  I keep telling them that if they do that it will come back to bite them.  The energy on the Dem side this year will put either Obama or Hillary into the White House, and those Republicans who crossed over to use Rush's strategy will have only themselves to blame.  

          by Guy Fawkes on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 11:29:27 AM PDT

    •  or their strategy may be

      to have a Hillary vs. Huckabee rout.

      by cwaltz on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 11:42:35 AM PDT

  •  I think Clinton wins Virginia today

    And that this will be the "momentum changing victory" she needs to take the "front runner status" back.  

    Even though Obama is way ahead in pledged delegates, this will "prevent Obama from taking the lead in total delegates" and we will be reminded that "Obama has never led in total delegates."

    -Fred

    by FredFred on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:43:07 AM PDT

•  Madison district, high turnout this morning

  I voted at 7:30 am in the Madison district polling station, on Old Glebe Road in Arlington. We had a much higher turnout than I recall from the general elections in 2004 and 2006. The wait time was about 30 minutes. In 2004 and 2006, it was just a few minutes.

  This district, that borders McLean, Va. and the Potomac, is the most Republican in Arlington. In recent elections, Democrats carried this district by 55-45 margins, as opposed to 60-40 or greater elsewhere in the county. Unfortunately, I could not tell if the people in the line were requesting Democratic or Republican ballots.  However, I can't imagine many Republicans would wait in line for 30 minutes to vote in a contest that most observers consider finished.

  by RunnerAlan on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:26:08 AM PDT

•  I was at a phone bank in VA last night

  After making over 200 calls, I was very encouraged.

  by Yashua on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:35:19 AM PDT

•  I'll vote after work

  hope the lines aren't too long.

  by lgrooney on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:39:41 AM PDT

•  Oops, forgot a tipjar [n/t]

  by Hiro on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:55:09 AM PDT