CT: 'Astounding' Showing for Primary Vote
By Lyndsey Layton
George Cody knows elections. Cody, the registrar of voters in New Canaan, Conn., and president of the state's association of registrars, has been running polling places for 20 years.
And he says he's never seen anything like this primary.
"It's just been phenomenal -- the number of new people who have come out to register, who want to participate," Cody said. "For a primary, it's astounding. There's been more activity in the past month than I've seen in years."
In his small town of New Canaan -- population 12,000 -- turnout by 1 p.m. was 33 percent of registered Democrats and 25 percent of registered Republicans. Which makes things a lot more lively than some low-turnout general elections of the past. "I'm having a lot of fun," Cody said.
One big concern -- a snow forecast -- melted into light rain by the time the polls opened this morning. "That was one of the major fears, that Old Man Winter would cast his vote," Cody said. "But seems like the only person staying home this year is Old Man Winter."
Posted at 2:51 PM ET on Feb 5, 2008
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Posted by: behlov | February 5, 2008 3:56 PM
Isn't it great that George W Bush's legacy will be that he mobilized democrats, republicans and independents to actively participate in our democracy and to disregard the pollsters and pundits that so actively helped him get into office! Americans seem to have woken up to the fact that, if you stay home, you leave your vote in the hands of people who may be making choices based on something other than who would be the most competent and honorable person to be the leader of the free world. Having six years of W taught us all that who the president is does matter - and, we're all paying the price for the choices that 51% of the population made in 2004.
Posted by: bethechange1 | February 5, 2008 3:39 PM
Not to throw a cold shower on this, but where I voted (Newtown) at 11 AM this morning, the pollworkers outnumbered the actual voters...there were a total of six voters there (5/6 took Democratic ballots), no line, and it seemed pretty quiet...
Posted by: CTVoter | February 5, 2008 3:01 PM
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I have a theory on why there is such high turnout and voter interest in this election.
The writers strike in Hollywood has diverted people's attention away from their normal TV viewing and so a lot more people are involved in a true reality show and that is the 2008 Presidential Election.
I think it at least partially explains why there is more interest in the primaries than normal.