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Democrats drive early Omaha vote

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BY DON WALTON / Lincoln Journal Star

Friday, Oct 31, 2008 - 07:21:37 pm CDT

Voters in Omaha waited in long lines for as much as two hours Friday to cast early ballots in this year’s historic presidential race.

The line that snaked outside the Douglas County election office in west Omaha probably contained about 100 persons during most of the day, Election Commissioner Dave Phipps said.

Phipps is expecting a record turnout of 215,000 voters by the end of Election Day next Tuesday.

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Lincoln Journal Star's Voter's Guide
26,000 have voted early in Lancaster Co.

About 26,000 voters in Lancaster County have already voted by early or absentee ballots, according to the Lancaster County Election Commissioner.

Dave Shively said there was a steady line of about 30 people all day Friday at the office and the parking lot was full.

Most people were making it through the line in about 20 to 30 minutes, he said.

The traffic was a combination of early voting and the fact it was the last Friday of the month and many people were paying car taxes across the parking lot at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The last Friday of the month is always one of DMV’s busiest days and even more so when it also happens to be the last day of the month, Shively said.

Registered voters will still be able to vote early on Monday at the Election Commissioner’s Office, 601 N. 46th St. It will be open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There were 175,288 voters registered in Lancaster County by Oct. 1. The deadline to register was Oct. 24.

--Lincoln Journal Star

The early vote count and its composition appeared to reflect the fact that Barack Obama has mounted perhaps the most extensive Democratic presidential campaign in Nebraska history, an effort limited to metropolitan Omaha’s 2nd Congressional District.

Early Douglas County voters, including those who requested absentee ballots by mail, totaled 56,369 before Friday’s deluge began, Phipps said. That’s a record early voter count.

The early voter breakdown showed 27,383 Democrats, compared to  19,731 Republicans. Independents numbered 9,005.

Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in the county by about 3,600.

Some 15,124 persons had voted in person by the time the election office opened Friday morning with a long line waiting outdoors. 

Phipps had no count on the number of absentee ballots that already have been returned, but said it’s fair to estimate that 90 percent of those people who requested ballots will vote.

“It’s just been crazy this week,” he said.

Phipps is anticipating 68 percent of Douglas County’s 315,000 registered voters will cast ballots in this year’s election.

The Obama campaign has mounted an aggressive field operation in Omaha in a bid for one of Nebraska’s presidential electoral votes. Among the campaign’s primary goals was a large turnout of early voters.

Nebraska awards one of its five electoral votes to the winner of each of the state’s three congressional districts. The other two votes go to the statewide victor.

Republican nominee John McCain’s presidential campaign has left Nebraska in the hands of a strong GOP state party that has a track record of successful get-out-the-vote campaigns.

The competitive presidential scrap has fueled a tight struggle between five-term Republican Rep. Lee Terry and Democratic challenger Jim Esch for the 2nd District House seat.

The congressional district is composed of Douglas County and portions of Sarpy County, including Bellevue, Papillion and LaVista.

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.


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Get use to it Nebraska wrote on October 31, 2008 7:18 pm:
" The "Sea of Red" is not as crimson as it used to be. I, for one, will embrace the shade of "purple" with open arms! GO OBAMA! "

 Yup wrote on October 31, 2008 9:52 pm:
" And how do you know who they voted for? Republicans have been accused of always voting for the party. You mean democrats do that (gasp)? "

 The Wolff wrote on November 1, 2008 12:00 am:
" Perhaps more republicans were at work instead of waiting in line for two hours? Democrats are well adapted to waiting in lines at gov't offices. "

 RD wrote on November 1, 2008 8:07 am:
" This is good news!!! The Democrats in the Omaha area now outnumber the Republicans. Nebraska will turn into a bright, shining Blue state after 48 years of dull, uninspiring Red. I voted early, and I voted for Obama, Kleeb and Esch. "

 Yep wrote on November 1, 2008 8:59 am:
" Absolutely Democrats will be voting party on Tuesday and half the Republicans will join them in voting Democratic.

With miserable failure comes "time to sit on the bench". "

 Dorthea Hooks wrote on November 1, 2008 10:11 am:
" It is a refreshing thought that so many people has changed their party from republican to Democrat party. Nebrasks want no more of Geroge Bush policy for another four years and that just what they will get if we elect John McCain. "

 James wrote on November 1, 2008 11:07 am:
" Hey Wolff, I think Republicans have a lot of time on their hands, seeing that their fortunes vanished several weeks ago thanks to the actions of tbeir party. Maybe they should take some classes in constitutional law at the local community college. "

 uh huh wrote on November 1, 2008 11:53 am:
" Wonder how many of those early voters are legit? Acron and the DNC has voter fraud down to a science. Combine that with their predatory registration tactics upon the uniformed and unbathed and its no wonder there is a 'blue' tilt. "

 ignorance wrote on November 1, 2008 11:59 am:
" The left and their buddies in the media choose to ignore we've had a democrat congress the past 2 years. A congress that has accomplished nothing but throwing our money at a problem they created. But you'll not hear any of that from the press will you. Meanwhile, the left will continue to register those who can be swayed by a bumber sticker or a pack of smokes. "

 anrak wrote on November 1, 2008 2:15 pm:
" " Wonder how many of those early voters are legit? Acorn and the DNC has voter fraud down to a science." Um.... they must have all been legal if they did actually cast ballots. We will see on Tuesday just exactly how this state plays out, and as wonderful as the red is on saturdays such a shame it will be pretty blue I think! Far more blue than it has been since 1964, the last time we were democrat state. We need to turn this economy around and the people voting for McCain must be the same people with the "If it ain't broke don't fix it" attitude but obviously it IS broke after 8 years of Bush, who I did not vote for either time, funny how those people aren't bragging about how they voted for him anymore!
GO OBAMA!!! "

 McCain All The Way wrote on November 1, 2008 3:05 pm:
" Too bad more people haven't done their homework on Obama! They hear the word change and get all excited! What kind of change will he bring? Just think of our country as one big "San Francisco"! That oughta really scare anyone in the midwest. Do your homework and find out what that means! The French president called Obama "ignorant and immature" on his experience with security. If our security isn't on track, neither will our economy. Wake up People! "

 Ed wrote on November 1, 2008 4:41 pm:
" Looks like the LJS will look pretty stupid with there endorsement of the ignorant Republicans. "

 Re Uh huh wrote on November 1, 2008 4:46 pm:
" Despite what you think and what you're hearing from the lushbag Rush & Co, election officials verify each and every voter registration when you go cast an early ballot. I know that because I have already cast my vote against any incumbent and any one who has held office more than 1 term or used robo calls and they verified that I was eligible to vote.

To the Wolff, maybe the reason dems are casting votes now is because they are voting after they get off work or before they go. Now, the repubs are probably sitting home and wondering how to pay for the gas to get to go look for work after the stock market crashed and they lost all their hand me down money they didn't earn like the dems. "

 One wrote on November 1, 2008 5:55 pm:
" I am so glad I voted by mail. "

 USA wrote on November 1, 2008 7:14 pm:
" I wish we could quit this red-blue stuff. Prior to the 2000 presidential election, there was no universally recognized color scheme to represent political parties in the United States. This election, I'm voting red, white, and blue. I hope you do to. "

 rac wrote on November 2, 2008 2:43 pm:
" I'm Republican and I don't have time to vote early and neither myself or my fellow Republican friends see the point in it: Election Day is when you vote. Early voting was intended to be for people who were physically unable to vote on Election Day. The only people I've talked to that have voted early were Dems. Maybe they think that if the give Nobama an early lead, then McCain can't catch up? Based on the early-voters I know, though, I suspect Wolff is correct.

PS. My investments are doing just fine, thanks :) "

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