Democratic enthusiasm believed to be behind record early voting turnout
Early voters are on track to make history.
Democrats are voting early in droves.
Almost 15 million Americans have taken advantage of voting early. And those early voters are on track to make history, this could be the first time that the majority of votes are cast before Election Day.
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According to The Washington Post, Democrats are casting the most votes in the six states that have provided partisan breakdowns. Registered Democrats in Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania Florida, Iowa, and Maine outnumber Republicans two to one in the polls.
One Kentucky voter, Tony Lewis, 39, told the Post he was elated to see the voter turnout.
“Last night felt like Christmas Eve,” said Lewis, 39, who was interviewed at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. He showed up around 8:30 a.m. on the first day to vote in person. “I just wanted to get out and be one of the first ones to cast my vote to hopefully end the insanity we are living in under the current administration.”
Voters are not only voting early, they are willing to wait in extraordinarily long lines to cast their ballots. In Georgia, the wait time was almost 11 hours, and while you would think many would be disappointed, the reactions were the opposite.
One voter, Steve Davidson, told The Guardian long wait times in order to vote are a small price to pay for the right to make a choice.
“They’ve been fighting for decades,” said Davidson in regards to US congressman John Lewis and other activists who have fought for equality and civil rights. “If I’ve got to wait six or seven hours, that’s my duty to do that. I’ll do it happily.”
Davidson isn’t the only one who feels this way. According to the BBC, a man waiting on line to vote in Texas encouraged folks to vote by any means necessary,
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“Texas! Get in line early tomorrow! And vote! Yes! Turn the TV off! Eat a good breakfast at 5am! Take water! Chair! Umbrella! And stay in line!”
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