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Voter Turnout High at End of Long Battle in Pennsylvania
For the first time in six weeks, the Democratic presidential nominating contest returned to the ballot box as voters across Pennsylvania turned out in record numbers on Tuesday to cast their judgment on Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama. Lets just say its very busy, said Joseph Passarella, the director of voter services for Montgomery County, sounding a little harried. Our phones have been ringing since 6:15 this morning and have been ringing nonstop. Weve never had a primary election this busy.Voting lines were long and voter-service phone lines were jammed across the state, from Philadelphia in the southeastern part of the state to Beaver County in the west. Were just overwhelmed, said Geri Shuits, a polling clerk in Beaver County. Ive gotten so many phone calls, I just cant keep up. Officials said the turnout was shaping up to at least double the 26 percent recorded in the 2004 primary, and perhaps approach that of a general election, even though there is no presidential contest on the Republican side. Its a crazy day, said Stacy Sterner, chief clerk in Lehigh County, who noted that one polling place had 100 people waiting to vote when it opened at 7 a.m. Eastern time. If I didnt know better, she said, I would think it was November. Posted by: Fred 2008-04-23 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=237355 |