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Turnout in last week’s election increased from four years ago but fell far short of some forecasts largely because many Republican voters either stayed home or left blank the presidential section of their ballots.

In states won by President-elect Barack Obama, turnout was more than five percentage points higher than in states won by Republican John McCain, according to a Globe analysis of data compiled by a pair of researchers who study voting patterns in US elections.

Both Curtis Gans, director of American University’s Center for the Study of the American Electorate, and Michael McDonald, a professor at George Mason University, have conducted state-by-state reviews of unofficial returns, which are still being tabulated in many states. Each had predicted significantly higher turnout than materialized on Election Day.

“I looked at the significant increase in registration and the long lines at the early-voting polling places,” said Gans, who has been studying turnout rates for 36 years. “It turned out the intensity was one-sided; it was on the Democrats’ side.”

McDonald concurred, saying, “It became more evident to voters at the end that Barack Obama was going to win. That probably tamped down the turnout and disproportionately affected the Republicans.”

Why waste your energy backing a loser?




  1. Chris Mac says:

    I’m astonished by the continued level of baseless panic..

    Pass me the box of chocolates, Footloose II is on.

  2. MikeN says:

    #23, yes I noticed that but didnt care to fix it, plus it is technically correct in that both McCain’s and Obama’s plans are the same and will lead to more warming in the same amount, while Republicans would favor even more warming (assuming the science models are correct)

  3. doug says:

    I like the competing GOP myths about their loss:

    Either: McCain was not conservative enough, so the base did not turn out.

    or: Palin was not a drag on the ticket, because she motivated the base to turn out.

    If you guys are not going to face reality (that the GOP has alienated much of the center of the American political spectrum), you need to at least settle on just one Big Lie.

    Fortunately, the Republicans in Congress are now virtually ALL hard-core conservatives, so their narrative will prevail – the GOP needs to be MORE conservative. For god’s sake, don’t listen to those successful GOP governors who want a less ideological, more pragmatic, approach.

    push yourselves further to the margins. we appreciate it.

    oh, and #5, you conservatives need to stop being so fixated on gays. It makes people, you know, suspicious.

    I’m just sayin’ …

  4. #32 – MikeN,

    #23, yes I noticed that but didnt care to fix it, plus it is technically correct in that both McCain’s and Obama’s plans are the same and will lead to more warming in the same amount, while Republicans would favor even more warming (assuming the science models are correct)

    Actually, McCain’s plan was to reduce GHGs by 60% from an unknown starting point. Even if he chose 1990 as the start, his plan still calls for twice the emissions of the majority scientific opinion.

    Obama’s is to cut by 80% from 1990 levels, which is what is suggested by the majority opinion of science.

    Personally, I think the cuts James Hansen suggests are what is really required. But, no one is talking about that.

    So, perhaps we are toast no matter what. It may just be a question of how quickly we toast ourselves.

    But, the plans are certainly not even close to the same.

  5. MikeN says:

    I should have added that the European experience with ‘cuts’ as well as our own political experience shows that there will be only small reductions in emissions.

  6. Mr. Fusion says:

    #30, Mr. Liar,

    Well. When your choises are insane or hussain most reguler folks would not be caught voting for either.

    If you didn’t vote then you lost your right to complain. So either admit you voted for one of the candidates or just STFU.

    The people crowing about this election should be not be so happy. You did not win, the other side lost.

    If the other side lost, that makes my side the winner. Deny it all you like. The good guys won.

    If any election in my life time should have been a blow out this should have been the one. It did not happen.

    But enough people were sufficiently pissed about the Republicans they did vote for “the black guy”. If Obama was white then I agree his popular vote would have come much closer to 60%. But we will take his margin as a victory anyway.

    Loser !!!

  7. #35 – MikeN,

    Yes, goals and actual results are often at odds. However, when was the last time you bet on the lower goal achieving the higher result?

    We should take strong note of the fact that while much effort has been expended by the 161 of 162 countries that signed on to Kyoto that not much has been achieved to date.

    However, due to their efforts, much has also been learned. Besides, if we don’t try, we will fail, so try we must. McPalin was not making any discernible attempt. (Drill baby drill!)

    So, at least now we have someone who may try.

    I have given my opinion of what should be done on http://www.change.gov. Perhaps it will be counted. Personally, I support a revenue neutral carbon tax that would benefit the majority of taxpayers over a cap and trade system that will benefit Off The Wall St. But, I’ll settle for any earnest attempt to do something at this point.


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