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Fitzsimon gives some perspective on the 2010 elections

Submitted by Haywood on Tue, 05/04/2010 - 1:34pm

Low turnout and inside baseball hang-wringing got you down today? The always excellent Chris Fitzsimon of the NC Justice Center's Policy Watch blog has a great piece today looking at the November 2010 elections from 30,000 feet.

The tea partiers shouldn't plan a post election celebration party yet...

There will no doubt be interesting stories in the primary results. Politics always brings some surprises. But don't let the efforts of the pundits convince you that the results are another indicator of a looming Republican landslide in November.

An afternoon mental health break that is well worth any NC political junkie's time.

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Comments

A good column indeed

Submitted by James on Tue, 05/04/2010 - 3:17pm.

Thanks for saving me the work of writing about it.

Turn out in my Chapel Hill precinct was abysmal today. Worse than abysmal. At one this afternoon, I was the 81st voter. Normally that number would be 300 or so.

Ken Lewis' team is talking about having a sharp focus on getting people to the polls. For his sake, I hope that's real. Otherwise, I see low turn out as being mostly good for Elaine Marshall.

Does that include early voting?

Submitted by Jake Gellar-Goad on Wed, 05/05/2010 - 2:14am.

I know here in the Booker Creek district I never let any of my neighbors or friends wait until election day to vote. =p

it might be a long night, tonight

Submitted by Haywood on Tue, 05/04/2010 - 3:58pm.

The Sen campaigns are spinning turnout numbers however they please and everyone has a prediction. Yours may be right. But really, who knows. I do this stuff for a living (on occasion) and I don't have a more than an educated guess about which way this thing will go. It's interesting for me, not being affiliated or even a strong supporter of one of the Senate campaigns in the primary. Provides some good perspective. That's why I thought Chris's article was so interesting. Glad you liked it.

EDIT - At noon today I was only the 45th voter at my poll in Carrboro. For perspective, my precinct is so active that our precinct democrats have their own website. Wow.

Our precinct was pretty busy this am.

Submitted by Stan on Tue, 05/04/2010 - 4:58pm.

I voted about 10am and was #226. Nan voted about an hour later and was #350 or so. Our precinct has a lot of people, however, and I guess we'll find out the percentage who voted sometime later. The Republican poll workers were out in full force but I didn't see a single sign for Burr. I found that pretty surprising.

Stan Bozarth

Attention elsewhere

Submitted by Dan Besse on Tue, 05/04/2010 - 5:38pm.

He's parked in Washington raising money tonight (literally) and is above such concerns as pollworkers.

Stan, please remind me what town you're in? Trying to keep some idea of where turnout is light/heavy. Thanks.

Dan Besse

Chris Fitzsimon on da radio tonite

Submitted by James on Tue, 05/04/2010 - 5:25pm.

Here are the details.

J

Dan: Wilmington....

Submitted by Stan on Tue, 05/04/2010 - 5:52pm.

n/t

Stan Bozarth

Lucky duck

Submitted by James on Tue, 05/04/2010 - 5:57pm.

Hey,

How's the Titan news playing down your way?

The recent ruling about having to have a study BEFORE permits

Submitted by Stan on Tue, 05/04/2010 - 7:01pm.

are issued has been heartening. Still, the powers that be on the New Hanover County Board aren't moving to do anything to respond to local outrage about either the plant itself or the tax payer's monies used to lure Titan. The primary today has several candidates, both Democratic and Republican, that are opposed and I can only hope they make the cut in today's election.
If we can get more environmentally conscious commissioners I think we have a chance of aborting this disaster.

The County business manager goes to our church. He's a nice fella. But, all he seems to see are the dollar signs on the tax receipts. Naturally, proponents are showcasing the 160 jobs Titan would supposedly generate.

Stan Bozarth