Archive: Election Day Live Blog

November 4, 2008

vote20.jpg

This is an archive of our live Election Day blog from Tuesday, November 4. We posted the following entries, some live from polling places across North Escambia:

(7:02: p.m.) The polls have closed in North Escambia with no major problems reported. We will begin a story with live election results just after 8:00 tonight. Join NorthEscambia.com for the fastest and most complete Escambia County results.

(6:30 p.m.) Lines are reported to be short at precincts in North Escambia. Polls are open until 7:00. We’ll have live results beginning just after 8:00 tonight.

(5:30 p.m.) I just voted in Walnut Hill, voter number 621 for the day. No real line or waiting, about five minutes total. Remember, polls are open until 7:00 tonight. If you are in line at 7:00, don’t get out of line. You will get to vote.

But from what we are observing around North Escambia, wait times at all precincts is minimal.

(4:55) Now we are posting live from the First Baptist Church of Bratt. There are some people here, but it is not that busy right now. Voters tell us there is very little wait to vote.

There are comments posted from readers below with updates from Walnut Hill and McDavid.

(4:35 p.m.) We are posting live from outside the Oak Grove precinct. There are about a dozen voters here now, a fairly heavy turnout for this small precinct

(4:05 p.m.) We are live at the largest precinct in North Escambia, the Molino precinct at the Barrineau Park Community Center. There is a steady stream of voters going in and out. We are told turnout has been heavy here today.

Sign wavers are out supporting Larry Scapecchi and Kevin White (pictured above).

More updates coming all afternoon, and live election results tonight.

(3:25 p.m.) The lines Century are much shorter now than this morning. There was a huge problem with parking early.

One person waved McCain signs during the day, and Jim Barnett stoped by to campaign for the District 5 commission seat.

(3:01 p.m.) Posting live from outside the Walnut Hill precinct. Very few voters here right now. It is no line, no waiting

A couple of Larry Scapecchi for sheriff supporters are here with a large campaign sign in their pickup. It’s quiet for them; one is in a chair in the back of the truck enjoying the afternoon.

(2:39 p.m.) Still smooth sailing at polling places around North Escambia. No reports of problems. If you are sitting at home and still have not voted, get out and do it now. Lines will get a lot longer when people get off work later this afternoon.

(2:09 p.m) In the second grade at Bratt Elementary…it’s John McCain. Second graders at Bratt voted today after learning about the election process (see 11:01 a.m. post below), my second grade reports. In a fifth grade class at Bratt that also voted, it was McCain 16, Obama 4.

Make sure you join us tonight…we’ll have live election results posted as they become available. Many people that followed our coverage in the primaries reported that we beat the TV stations by many minutes in reporting results.

(1:33 p.m.) Still a steady turnout reported at the polls across North Escambia. A few problems reported in Pensacola with optical scanners that did not work. Did you have any problems voting? Let us know at news@northescambia.com

(12:03 p.m.) The lunch rush is on at area polling places. With most of our North Escambia polling places being rural, we don’t experience the rush to the polling place at lunch to vote that many of the polling places in the cities experience. But it does usually get busier at lunch.

More live updates all day. Tell us about your voting experience. Use the comment form below, or email news@northescambia.com.

(11:40 a.m.) This just in…the brown pelican was the winner of the election today at Byrneville Elementary School as the school voted on Florida’s new state bird. You can read about Byrneville’s voting and see photos by clicking here.

Our guess: Besides the big brown bird , the kids were the real winners as they learned all about voting.

(11:01 a.m.) It’s a basic lesson with lifelong importance at several area schools this morning as students vote. Some are voting for Obama and McCain, others like Byrneville Elementary School are voting for the new Florida state bird. (Fourth grade supported the Osprey, and the fifth grade rallied behind the Brown Pelican.)

My second grader has been asking questions all week about Obama and McCain, and she’s been watching the news to learn more about each candidate. She does not like the political ads because the candidates talk badly about each other. She can even spout off how many electoral votes Alabama, Florida and even California has. I bet must of us don’t know that.

I’m not sure how she’ll vote today. I’ve not shared with her how I plan to vote, and I have tried to provide her just fair facts about both candidates. I’ll let you know who wins her second grade class at Bratt Elementary after she gets home today. Stay tuned.

More live updates coming all day on this blog…

(10:15 a.m.) With carefully planned timing, Barack Obama and Joe Biden casts their votes on national TV earlier today. Obama and his wife Michelle took a long time with ballots, but they were lengthy in their local precincts with a long list of local races. As soon as Obama was done was voting on national TV, Joe Biden popped out of his armored vehicle to cast his vote. Lots more TV time for the Democrats. But the Republicans were equally as smart to get as much free TV time as possible, with Sarah Palin and John McCain voting at nearly the same time. Sidenote: It was 17 degrees i4 Wasilla, Alaska, where Palin voted, and it was 68 in Arizona when McCain voted.

(9:00 a.m.) Turnout is still heavy at North Escambia polling places. Get out and vote.

(8:02 a.m.) The first hour of voting was a busy one across North Escambia. Lines snaked out of some precincts as voters waited to make themselves inside to cast their vote. That’s an unusual sight in North Escambia, and one that is certainly evidence of the high voter turnout expected today.

(7:03 a.m.) The polls are now open in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. They will be open until 7:00 tonight.

Comments

5 Responses to “Archive: Election Day Live Blog”

  1. Cindy on November 4th, 2008 4:42 pm

    I just voted at the Walnut Hill Community Center and there were queit a few people there…still I only waited about 5 minutes.

  2. Terri Sanders on November 4th, 2008 4:13 pm

    no long lines at mcdavid…just steady voters…there was a line at 7 this morning though.

  3. AW on November 4th, 2008 2:28 pm

    Any one know how the lines are at McDavid VFD???

  4. William on November 4th, 2008 11:40 am

    Cindy
    There were lines there early this morning. Not sure about the present.

    William

  5. Cindy on November 4th, 2008 11:27 am

    I was wondering if there is a line at the Walnut Hill Community.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Blog, News