Radio news this morning: Since early voting began 418,000 have voted

[tnlefty]

in TN and that is up by almost half (missed this because of static) 238,000 from prior election. Something was mentioned about higher voter registrations and that these early voting numbers bode well for voter turnout throughout election time, blah, blah, great emphasis has been placed on this presidential election.

Has anyone else heard this or seen it in your papers?

[Mr Switters]

1. It's true...

This is true, all our media sources in Knoxville are reporting the same. Across the board, in just about every early voting polling location and county the numbers are up on average 2x from early voting numbers last year. They are even predicting that more than 1 million votes will be cast in early voting this time around.

The encouraging news I saw was the percentage breakdown of early voting locations in Knox County. The top dog, with 27 % of early voting being done at our "Bearden" location, and the second highest with 19% of early voting done at East Town Mall. Bearden is a pretty evenly divided area of town, but driving around you get the impression that it leans Kerry from the amount of yard signs and bumper stickers showing K/E support. East Town Mall is definitely in the center of Democrat territory in this town. The LOWEST turnout by percentage in early voting was at the Farragut Town Hall location, with something like 12%, this is the West Knox location, nestled in the heart of suburban K-town, where Bushies drive their SUVs to and from their 1/2 acre lots and 200,000k homes.

Voter turnout has always traditionally favored the Democratic candidate. If this holds true this time around, massive voter turnout will push us over! Our voter registration drives only mean something if we get the people we registered out to vote! If you are not actively involved with GOTV efforts by your local campaign office, DO SO NOW! It's easy! Just give up 2-4 hours of your time this week and next and stop by the local office and chip in on phone banking! You'll be calling people that are likely Kerry Voters and just politely reminding them how important it is to vote and providing information on their early voting locations. IT'S SO EASY and the campaign offices all over the state need your help to get this done! In some locations they can even set you up so you can access call lists and scripts from home!!! How much easier could it be to spend 2-4 hours each week over the next 12 days to do what you can to ensure a Kerry/Edwards victory!?!

[tnlefty]

2. Thanks for this info.

I'm trying to be cautiously optimistic. I heard 5 men in a row call in on talk radio yesterday afternoon, all of them were former Wamp supporters and they will not support him again and said that they were encouraging their relatives, friends, etc. to vote against Wamp this time!!!

I suppose it's too much to hope for: Bush* and Wamp both gone. I'd love it, but if I have to settle Bush* gone definitely.

[alilenas]

3. Wamp gone? Sweet!!!

It is shocking to me that Wamp gets reelected as easily as he does. If reelected I wonder if his open desire for Tom DeLay's job might cost him with his own party?

[tnlefty]

4. We traveled to Meigs Co. Fri. night for a football game and I was

surprised by the number of Wolfe signs that I saw displayed along Hwy 58 and a lot of them in people's yards. K/E signs, too.

I don't think that we'll get rid of Zach, but I wish like hell that we could. It seems that his total support of everything bush* and the unPatriot Act are what is hurting him among those who had voted for him in the past.

Sack Zach!

[DemFromMem]

5. Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting big increases here in Shelby County

Much bigger in Dem districts than in GOP areas.

[Mr Switters]

6. This is what I like to hear!

I was in Memphis last weekend and I got to say that I was a bit worried... My wife's folks live in Collierville and driving around a place like that with Kerry/Edwards stickers on your car is like driving into a Black Panther rally screaming "White Power!"

I didn't see a SINGLE, and I mean even a SINGLE K/E sign in Collierville, or even most of Germantown. It wasn't until we were driving around town running errands that I saw my first K/E sign in Cordova (and boy was it lonely).

I didn't see very many Bumper stickers on cars, did your offices not get stickers in huge quantity? Up in East Tenn you can't throw a rock without hitting a K/E bumper sticker! Hell, I got 50 or so in my car right now.

However, when we finally got into Midtown and East Memphis to visit our friends I was relieved! K/E Stuff EVERYWHERE!!!

I guess I just forgot about how segregated Memphis really is, not just racially, but politically as well...