Turnout Good for Dems - Bad for GOP

Curtis Gans of the Center for the Study of the American Electorate has issued his final report on turnout in the 2008 election. The one thing that really stood out for me is how a higher turnout has consistently favored Democrats (See graph below). Another notable part of the report points out that the GOP is swiftly losing their base:

Within the next few decades, white Americans, the only demographic sub-group from which the GOP draws significant numbers of voters, will be in the minority.

The only way that the Republican Party can restore its majority status is if Obama fails utterly, and they win via the negative vote or if they reconstitute their advocacy and actions (and not with symbols) so that they have some programmatic appeal to an increasing diverse America.

Similarly, the Democrats can solidify their hold on the future only if the Obama administration is seen as effectively responding to the many and deep crises of today in a manner that recalls Roosevelt facing the depression or Lincoln with respect to slavery and secession.

50% Turnout expected in Allen County

From The Journal Gazette:

Statewide, more than 167,000 votes were cast before election day. That number counts people voting in person, by mail or traveling abroad.

In Allen County, nearly 10,000 people asked to vote early. Of the Allen County ballots requested, 7,718 were Democratic, and 2,133 were Republican, according to statewide voter information.

That level of early voting far exceeds what the state has experienced in any primary since 2004 – when the early voting law took effect. Previously, the 2006 primary saw the highest level of early voting in a primary, but this year’s totals exceed that by more than 100,000.

Previous primaries have averaged turnout of 33 percent. Other states, like Ohio, had about a third of voters show up, but individual counties varied. Polling locations will be staffed and stocked to handle turnout of 50 percent.