Please list any anecdotal evidence about how people are voting

[Onlooker]

Despite some polls showing Kerry far behind, I have seen no evidence of anything fundamentally changing.

I know of one liberal in New Jersey who is tempted to vote for Nader because she's so annoyed at Kerry's stand on Iraq (but she'll vote for Kerry).

I know of one conservative Independent who was undecided until recently, but is now supporting Kerry.

I know of one evangelical Christian who will not vote for Bush, and is thinking of voting for Kerry.

Everyone else I know has the exact same positions they've had for months, either pro* or proKerry.

The polls showing big shifts in favor of Bush are hard to believe, but then again I'm in a blue state. What are your experiences? Have you seen Kerry supporters or undecideds go to Bush or Bush supporters go to Kerry?

[Paradise]

1. hard-nosed 2000-bush-voter ex-marine in our family

voting for kerry or, at the very least, nader this time around.
his switch came about because of the overtime issue.

edit to: hard-nosed 2000-"bush"-voter

[Roland99]

2. Myself and a friend of mine

both voted for Bush in 2000.

We are both voting for Kerry in 2004.



My sister is a Greek Orthodox Christian and is voting for Kerry. But, mostly because she works in the local school system and everyone she knows hates the No Child Left Behind mandates.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

11. Good for you! And welocme to DU!

:toast:

[MidwestMomma]

3. From my small office

One woman and her husband who usually don't vote have both registered so they can vote for Kerry. They despise Bush. I would describe them as apolitical but they are voting to get Bush out of office.

One man who is very conservative has stated he might not vote at all. He says he can't vote for Kerry but I don't think he can bring himself to vote for Bush.

I think the undecideds are really mostly like this man. They usually vote Republican, can't bring themselves to vote Democratic and can't decide what to do.

I think most others who are normally apolitical have already decided either not to vote, because they don't think it matters (I know!) or have decided to vote against Bush.

But that could be my wishful thinking.

But I agree with your theory that most people have the same positions they've had for months....except for the Bush supporters. I really do think some of them are in a bit of a quandary of what to do. I don't believe there are huge amounts of people shifting to Bush at all. I think the shifts are due to old-time Republicans shifting feelings about Bush and his administration.

I hope when they are standing there in the voting booth with only themselves as a witness, they'll secretly pull the lever for Kerry. Or even a third party candidate.

Where's Perot when you need him!

[radfringe]

4. at work

4 former bush* voters now voting for Kerry

my partners brother (former bush* voter) voting for Nader

6 co-workers did not vote in 2000 -- they are now registered and will be voting for Kerry

[GiovanniC]

5. My Father, Who Voted For Bush in 2000

Hates him with a passion now (he was laid off from his construction job for about a year and a half of Bush's residency). He's definitely voting for Kerry. So...


- My dad voted for Bush in 2000, voting for Kerry this time.

- I voted for Gore in 2000, voting for Kerry this time.

- My mom voted for Gore in 2000, voting for Kerry this time.

- My sister voted for Bush in 2000, voting for Kerry this time.

- My best friend did not vote in 2000, voting for Kerry this time.

- My brother-in-law voted for Bush in 2000, voting for Kerry this time (he's kinda wishy/washy though... so could change).

- Three of my coworkers voted for Bush in 2000, one is still voting for Bush, the other two say they are voting for Kerry.

So, the statistics in that small little circle of people:

2000
BUSH: 6
GORE: 2
DIDN'T VOTE: 1


2004
BUSH: 1
KERRY: 8


That looks promising to me.

[Mrs. Overall]

6. This is what happened in WA State's Primary this past Tuesday:

In my county, which has several military bases and can be rather conservative (Gore and Bush basically tied here in 2000, with Gore winning very narrowly), the Democrats this year have over twice as many people registered as the Republicans.

The Dems turned out last Tuesday 2 to 1 and the WA State Repub. party is in a total panic!!

The same 2 to 1 average was true for most of the surrounding counties as well.

On the day before the election, I had at least five calls from the State Democratic party urging me to vote. The Democrats are out there working very hard--the media just isn't reporting it.

(Posted this exact message in another thread about Dems being energized)

[Nana]

7. Husband...

..who never voted in his life, registered and voting for Kerry. Haven't talked to anyone voting for * and I'm in a red state!

[Chango]

8. High registration switch

I tabled a busy street fair over Labor day and registed 300 voters. 20% of them were Republicans switching to Democrat.

[AVID]

9. Canvassed my street last week. . .ALL for Kerry

about 40%, 5 houses, were for * in 2000. . . it didn't take much to sway them. Look at the money, deaths, lies, education, his track record in TX - He is a loser and it is easy to convince someone if they are A. not an extremely fundementalist christian, or B. not paranoid militia man C. nat a billionaire driving a hummer.

[Mortos]

10. My anecdotal data

I voted for Gore - Kerry
My wife voted for Gore - Kerry
My brother Bush - Kerry
My sis in law - Kerry
Niece too young in last election - Kerry (she has also registered 5 young friends who have not voted before I sense most will vote Kerry because of her input Go Jacky!)
Her boyfriend (Baptist conservative) - Kerry
Ex Sis in law voted for Bush - Not Voting
Mom - Kerry
stepdad - Kerry
90 year old Grandmother - Kerry ("I wouldn't vote for that Bush he is a liar")
Father - Kerry
Sister - Kerry
Brother in law Bush last time - Kerry
In laws Bush - Bush (die hard conservatives)
Neighbors 3 Kerry - 2 Bush

Again this is all anecdotal but I know for a fact that there are at least 7 people in my circle who have voted for Bush or normally would vote republican who are now voting Kerry. This is in hardcore conservative Oklahoma.

Take heart Democrats. We are going to win.

[WINEWOMAN7]

12. anecdotal data

I live in the very conservative state of Idaho. Friday night I hosted a table at the annual Basque Center wine tasting in Boise for my wine wholesale business. When I was pouring for a gentleman and his wife he mentioned that they had just had a political discussion with some friends and couldn't understand why Bush gets away with all the stuff he does and is still president. He says he is very worried about all the deaths in Iraq and wants Bush out. Every person at the table agreed with him including me and my new wine rep. whom I didn't know his political leanings. One lady said if Bush wins she is moving to Canada. I was rather surprised as Idaho is extremely conservative Republican. I think the tide has changed and is not reflecting in the polls. I think even in Idaho Bush is not going to win in a landslide and I think we will be surprised about how much Kerry wins in the swing states. There are many first time voters out there and many who will vote to just vote Bush out.

[featherman]

13. I know five ultra liberals who voted for Nader last time

who are voting for Kerry this time. All are in Oregon
In my family (wife, mother, aunt, brothers and sisters and their spouses, and my children) all are voting for Kerry but all voted for Gore also = no change there but 15 solid votes -(spread around in CA, OR, FL, NJ, OH, KY, and overseas)
My three stepdaughters: (CA, NV, WY) didn't vote in 2000, now voting for Kerry
My stepson (NC): he and his best friend voted for Bush in 2000, both voting Kerry this time.
Wife's mother, brother, sister-in-law FL) - all staying with Bush
Finally, two of our friends in Florida - one voted for Bush but will not vote this time. The other voted Nader and is voting for Bush (most other friends mostly voted Gore and will vote Kerry = no change)

So of this group of 30 or so:
Kerry gains 10 votes over Gore
Bush loses a net 1
Nader loses a net 6

[MooPie]

14. Nader may bite chimpy in the butt

One Repug I know is furious at W but can't bring himself to vote for Kerry. Now that fascist Glenda Hood got Nader on the ballot here in Florida, he's voting for him. And he's not the only Repug I know who feels the same. I have two other Repug friends who are voting for Kerry this time, and every Naderite I've met is voting for Kerry. So those repugs who can't vote for Kerry and would have cast their votes for chimpy will be voting for Nader. Goooo Glenda!

[Arugula Latte]

15. The only person who is voting for Bush that I know

is a relative who became a born-again nutjob. :puke: I think she voted for Gore last time, but I don't know for sure.

Everyone else, including Nader voters, are now committed Kerry.

Two Bush-voting neighbors have Kerry signs on their lawns.

Our Portland neighborhood is a sea of Kerry signs (dozens and dozens).

[rockymountaindem]

16. My conservative friend

who was too young to vote last time (but who would have voted for Bush), admitted to me a few months ago that "I may be more liberal than I thought". I sensed that Bush wasn't going to get my friend's vote, but I finally asked him the other day "You're not going to vote for that loser, are you?" He replied, "Well, Bush is looking less and less appealing every day, and I do like Kerry's plan for Iraq and energy independence".

I think that's one we can definately put in Kerry's column, and he lives in Colorado!

[Protagoras]

17. 2 Bush 2000 vets going Kerry

They went to Iraq and came back ready to take a chunk out of Bush's ass.

Have 2 other friends who didn't vote in 2000 but finally got off their butts to register because they hate Bush so much.

Have 2 *friends* (a couple) who are still planning on Bush but have nothing positive to say about him...they are uber fundies and they really would sacrifice their own child before cursing their family with the wrath of god by voting for a democrat...but they both admit they are holding their nose to vote for Bush this time.

Every 2000 nader voter I've talked to says they will NOT vote for Ralph this time...all going to Kerry.

In my office we are 6 Kerry to 2 Bush...and the 2 for Bush are one issue voters (hard right on Abortion).

Overall I'd also say that I've seen as many pickup trucks with Kerry stickers as Bush stickers and in my mind that says a lot.

All this in Oregon (which regardless of the headlines in Blue and NOT a swing state.)

[Mz Pip]

18. I have a couple

It's kinda hard to come up with many since we live in serious Kerry country but:

My husband's Republican business associate cannot stand Bush. Pretty much for all of the reasons conservatives who are paying attention shouldn't like Bush. He may not vote for Kerry but he won't be voting for Bush.

My dear friend's WWII Marine Corp dad who has always voted Republican is so outraged by Bush that he plans to stay home on election day. Friend is still working on him for Kerry.

Every little bit helps.

MzPip
:dem:

[Czolgosz]

19. I have an Ohio sibling who voted Bush '00, but he is so

fed up he has said he is unlikely to vote in '04, and a former-Texas sibling who voted Gore '00 but who has just moved to Ohio and who will vote Kerry. I have another former-Ohio relative who voted Bush in '00 and who is still Bush-leaning but he has moved to NY.
I have 2 friends in Tennessee who will did not vote in '00, but who will vote Kerry.
I have 6 NY relatives who voted Bush in '00 who are now voting 3 Kerry, 3 Nader.
I am in Texas, and I probably know a dozen ex-Nader voters in Texas who are voting Kerry and 30 ex-Bush voters who are voting Kerry.
All told, I have discussed the likely votes of about 100 friends and family. I do not know a SINGLE Gore or Nader voter from 00' who is voting Bush in '04, and I don't know a SINGLE Nader voter from any battleground state who isn't voting Kerry this time. I know of about a dozen new voters who didn't vote in '00 and they will go 10 for Kerry and (probably) 2 for Nader (they may yet go Kerry).

[the_outsider]

20. a couple of my republican

coworkers are not voting for Bush. They voted for him in 2000. They have not decided yet if they will abstain or vote for Kerry. They have not found anything to like about Kerry, but cannot tolerate Bush either. Most probably no-votes.

They are your average gun-loving, god-loving, small-government, don't-"hate"-gays-but-wish-they-weren't-here, republicans. Deficit
and Iraq mess are their two main problems with Bush.

[Riddler]

21. The Military Vote Is NOT A Given Fact

I live in Fayetteville, NC, home of Fort Bragg and Pope AFB. Since I've lived here my entire life (56 years), I have made many, many friends from school through adulthood that are either active duty, dependents, or retirees. I can state unequivocally that the vast majority of these people that I talk to on a day to day basis, though publicly stating support for Bush or being non-committal, will privately vote for Kerry in the voting booth. There is so much "politics" and pressure in the military to publicly support the CIC that I think there will be a surpise on election day to see how many in the military DO NOT support Bush. And as for the local members of the National Guard or reservists I know, NONE of them plan on voting for Bush. Though they like to make everyone think the military is overwhelmingly in support of Bush, I personally don't think it's any better than 50-50 at this point, and possibly slightly in Kerry's favor. Those with brains know what a disaster he has been to our foreign policy and though this is their job, they really don't want to leave their families and fight endless wars.

[cheshire]

22. My whole family which now is 13 that 5 new voters . I have talk to

about 5 repulicans who are voting Kerry and I have a friend that I found out is a Pub a few months ago. I don't think he has voted before but he thinks * is a idiot. He often sleeps here so I am making a deal with him, If he registers and votes for Kerry he can continue to couch surf if not he has to stay at his moms on the floor. Yes I'm heartless about this but we go way back. He has stated recently he is now a indepentent.

[Onlooker]

23. kick

Kicking this because I think it's kind of a cheerful thread!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

24. My Mother Is Voting For Kerry....

She has pulled the lever for every Dem since casting her vote to give FDR a third term....


All my relatives are voting for Kerry but I don't have any Republicans in my nuclear or extended family....


My friend who voted for Nader in 00 is voting for Kerry now....
His mom was a contributor to Bush in 00 and is now voting for Kerry

[PermanentRevolution]

25. I'm the worst of all sinners...

I live in Florida and didn't vote in 2000. But I'm determined to atone for that, and have made a massive effort over the last 9 months to bring myself up to speed politically. I cared about politics through high school, but stopped paying attention in college. Now I'm back, and determined never to slip into that kind of waking sleep again.

At my work:

1 mild Bush supporter (he voted to get his $300 check) who is now a mild Kerry supporter. He'll vote, if someone drives him to the polls and buys him coffee.

1 non-voter who will vote Kerry, same deal as above. He was troubling for a while, because he was on that kick that a Bush victory is what would have to happen in order for the country to get to the point where real change could happen. He was actually considering voting for * to make it happen. But we talked him down.

About 20 to 30 solid Kerry supporters.

1 Naderite who has agreed to vote Kerry if the race is close when he goes to vote.

2 registered Republicans who are voting Kerry because they hate what Bush has done to their party.

I don't know anyone who is voting for Bush.

EDIT: Remembered my uncle's story, too.

Lives in Georgia, Vietnam Vet, always been very deep-south Republican. My dad met him for lunch a few weeks back and says he didn't believe it. My uncle has been out of work, so he's been spending a lot of time reading stuff online, and has turned into one of the most rabid anti-Bush people my dad has ever seen. Dad's been the ONLY Dem on his side of the family, and generally avoids contact with most of his relatives. But Uncle Roger is pissed about Bush's treatment of veterans and his National Guard service (or lack thereof.)

[theorist]

26. My parents were both supportive of the war.

They're both veterans, and after they got over their Fox fever, they realized how damaging the admin. has been to military families.

They're 100% behind Kerry and want me to send them some bumperstickers! (Unfortunately, they're in Austin. I told them to vote Dem down the line, anyway.)