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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: stockman_scott who wrote (61924)	10/21/2004 12:31:48 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

EARLY VOTING: Democrats grab turnout lead Party says kickoff to election in Nevada bodes well for Kerry win By ERIN NEFF REVIEW-JOURNAL If three days of early voting can constitute a trend, Democrats think the beginning of the election in Nevada bodes well for a John Kerry victory. In Clark County, Democrats voted in greater numbers than Republicans on each of the first three days of the 14-day early voting period. Overall, Democrats had a lead of 2,104 voters. Democrats increased turnout on each of the days, edging Republicans 45 to 41 percent Saturday, 45 to 40 percent Sunday and 46 to 40 percent Monday. "We don't traditionally vote early," Kerry campaign spokesman Sean Smith said of Democrats. "Our internal polling showed that we would do better with voters on Election Day, so we think this is a very good start for us." Democratic voters outnumber Republicans by 57,000 in Clark County, according to registration for all eligible voters. Among active voters, the edge for Democrats is 43,000. The Kerry campaign strategy aims at winning Clark County by 9 percent in order to offset the huge Republican advantage throughout 15 rural Nevada counties and a sizable advantage for the GOP in Washoe County. Washoe County records also showed a good turnout by Democrats. At the county's only early-vote site, Democrats outnumbered Republican voters 387 to 312, according to Saturday totals. Democrats said they believe nonpartisan voters are going to vote in greater numbers for Kerry. "We think the nonpartisans or independent voters are going to be breaking for us," Smith said, citing internal polls. But Republicans said they like the position they're in with the early-vote numbers because they believe Democrats need to have an even larger turnout advantage in Clark County to carry the state. "We're pleased with where we are at this point," said Bush-Cheney spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt. Tuesday night, Democrats launched a national get-out-the-vote campaign in Las Vegas with Kerry's stepson, Chris Heinz, and a performance by Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters rock band. "We've seen energy for months and months now," said state Democratic Party spokesman Jon Summers. "People have been excited for months; they're voting for change." Unlike in past years, Democrats and numerous left-leaning tax-exempt advocacy groups -- known as 527s -- in Nevada are actively working to get voters to the polls early. In interviews at the Meadows mall early voting site Monday and Tuesday, a majority of voters said they had voted for Kerry. "I view this as a choice between a poor president and a fair senator," said Lois Estoque, a registered Democrat voting for Kerry. "But this is an important election year, and the presidential race is the most important." Sharon Mitchell voted for Kerry on Tuesday at Meadows mall because she said she worries about health insurance and about her son serving in the military. Republican George Melendrez said he voted early because he wanted to beat the rush on Election Day to vote for president. "We just moved here, and we don't know any of the state issues, but being Republicans, we are morally speaking that we cannot vote for someone who is for abortion, like Kerry," Melendrez said. "Abortion is murder." Out of 45 interviews at the mall Monday and Tuesday, 26 voters said they were voting for Kerry, 12 said they were voting for Bush, six declined to offer their selection and one voted for Libertarian Michael Badnarik. Republicans have focused considerable efforts on mail-in voting, contacting thousands of voters to offer them a mail ballot. Roughly 11,000 mail ballots were turned in through the first three days, compared with 54,000 early votes through 5 p.m. Tuesday. reviewjournal.com