filed at 3:46 p.m.
Those anxious to start tallying election returns can digest the results of the earliest vote totals released from Dixville Notch and Hart’s Location, NH. The small towns, which have a combined population of 115 people, traditionally open their polling sites just after midnight on Election Day in order to produce the nation’s first official election results.
Sen. Barack Obama defeated Sen. John McCain by a tally of 15 votes to six in Dixville Notch. The Democrat also outpaced the Republican 17 to 10 in Hart’s Location. Could this be a sign of things to come? It is certainly an unusual tradition, but don’t jump to too many conclusions: the most recent polls have shown Obama with a comfortable lead in the state.
filed at 2:53 p.m.
Discussion - Zachary Tracer/The Chronicle
I stopped in at the Mary Lou Williams Center today for a brief discussion of “The Faithful Left” just after noon today. Sean Palmer, the Graduate Fellow at the center and a first year divinity student, led much of the discussion, which looked at the interplay of religion and politics in the 2008 election, and, of course, at Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama.
“We want to look at Barack not because of his Democratic stance, but because he represents this whole notion of African American political life,” Palmer said. “We’re looking at it from the perspective of the first African American candidate.”
The center is offering food and entertainment throughout the day, as Will Robinson blogged about earlier.
Though only eight people attended the 12:30 discussion, Jamie Fleece, the center’s marketing specialist, said she expects 100 students to show up to watch election returns on the center’s large-screen television.
Duke’s newfound voting spirit has extended past Main West Quadrangle all the way into Wallace Wade Stadium.
At his weekly media luncheon Tuesday, Duke head coach David Cutcliffe–who has taken to opening his press conferences with political allusions and de-briefings–said he had voted already, just two weeks after congratulating a local reporter for voting early. While several media member sported an assortment of “I voted!” stickers, there were none on the coach’s lapel.
In addition, Cutcliffe encouraged the players to register and vote today, said cornerback Chris Rwabukamba, who is a Canadian citizen and is often ribbed by his teammates for not being able to vote.
Strange sight of the day: Cutcliffe said his wife, Karen, spotted a donkey while driving to her local polling station. Could be a good sign for supporters of Sen. Barack Obama.
The Crowd - Chase Olivieri/The Chronicle
Long lines and occasional bursts of heavy rain didn’t keep thousands of Obama fans from streaming into a rally at UNC-Charlotte Monday. The rain cleared by the time Obama took the stage, but not before soaking this Chronicle reporter and the two photographers in attendance. The campaign set up a tent to protect the traveling press (the reporters who jet around with the candidate) but left the local press out in the rain, leaving them to take shelter under the risers set up for the cameras.
Heavy Rain - Michael Naclerio/The Chronicle
Obama, who took the stage around 6:30 p.m., announced the death of his grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, who raised Obama in Honolulu for several years. With tears running down his face, Obama said he did not want to spend much time talking about Dunham’s death. “She is going home and she died peacefully in her sleep,” Obama said.
The Tear - Chase Olivieri/The Chronicle
Check today’s Chronicle for full coverage of the rally, and make sure to visit the Election Blog throughout election day for hourly election coverage.
Update: Justin Ruckman, who I met at the rally, has posted audio of Obama’s speech on his CLT blog.
Weather.com currently forecasts a 60 percent chance of rain tomorrow for Durham, NC. Is this bad news for Sen. Barack Obama and the rest of the Democratic ticket? Rain typically decreases turnout and at least one professor’s study claims that inclement weather aids Republican candidates on Election Day.
But, according to AccuWeather.com, the overall national forecast is mild: “no major storms or extreme cold will have an impact on people waiting in line to vote on Tuesday, as lines will be long with record amounts of voters expected to turn out…. History says that Tuesday’s forecast should favor Democratic candidate Barack Obama.”
UPDATE: TheHill.com provides an updated and slightly more detailed overview of Tuesday’s projected weather conditions in North Carolina.
North Carolina’s right-leaning coast looks to get the state’s worst weather, with 70 percent chance of rain forecast for the city of Wilmington. Meanwhile the Democratic precincts in the more Democratic-leaning Raleigh-Durham metro area have a 40 percent chance of rain. Obama and McCain are tied in North Carolina, according to RealClearPolitics’ average.
Perhaps the higher chance of rain in right-leaning areas as compared to left-leaning ones will cancel out the negative effect rain is said to have on Democrats’ success. (This update was filed by Alex Klein.)
