Thread: Chambliss - Short Lines at Polls in Georgia Senate Runoff

Short Lines at Polls in Georgia Senate Runoff


By ROBBIE BROWN
Published: December 2, 2008
ATLANTA — Georgia voters encountered short lines but heavy campaigning Tuesday on the morning of the state’s runoff election for the Senate between the incumbent Republican, Saxby Chambliss, and Democratic challenger Jim Martin.

Polling stations across Georgia reported low to moderate voter turnout. At the Atlanta Public Library on Ponce de Leon Ave., where more than 1,600 people voted in the general election, only 400 people had voted by noon today.

With voter turnout critical to both candidates’ success, the Martin and Chambliss campaigns cranked up massive get-out-the-vote efforts. Matt Canter, a spokesman for Mr. Martin, said the campaign had 3,200 people knocking on doors and 3,000 others making phone calls to likely Democratic voters.

Michelle Grasso, a spokeswoman for Mr. Chambliss, said the Republicans were relying largely on e-mail and telephone messages to remind voters of the election. The Chambliss campaign has sent two messages a day to supporters for the past four weeks and will continue to contact voters today, she said.

The election could have a significant impact on the balance of power in the Senate. Mr. Chambliss’s re-election to a second term would prevent Democrats from gaining a filibuster-proof, 60-seat majority.

Many voters interviewed today said the balance of power was an important factor in their choice of a candidate.

“If you can’t have a little back-and-forth arguing between the parties, then the party in power will make mistakes,â€

The Polls have closed in GA.

Dixie

Waiting, waiting, waiting!!

Saxby Chambliss Incumbent 148,234 64%
Jim Martin 82,380 36%

Updated Dec-02-2008 08:03 PM 10% reporting (342 of 3303 precincts)

Saxby Chambliss - R Incumbent 650,660 59%
Jim Martin - D 446,445 41%

Updated Dec-02-2008 08:54 PM 51% reporting (1689 of 3303 precincts

AP Top News at 8:21 p.m. EST
35 minutes ago

ATLANTA (AP) — Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss jumped out to an early lead Tuesday over Democrat Jim Martin in Georgia's U.S. Senate runoff that attracted light voter turnout despite the contest's high stakes on the balance of power in Washington. With 16 percent of precincts reporting, Chambliss had 65 percent of the vote to Martin's 35 percent. The early returns came mostly from rural counties where Republicans traditionally wield significant sway in a still-overwhelmingly red state. None of the urban Democratic strongholds had yet reported results an hour after the polls closed.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... QD94QU0680

the AP has claimed the winner is Chambliss