The networks have called the first races of the night, projecting that Barack Obama will win Vermont and it’s three electoral votes. Thank you Vermont!
Voting is still underway in a number of key battleground states, and we still need your help making phonecalls to voters to get our supporters to the polls: ;
As we mark Veterans Day, all Americans are united in honoring the extraordinary service and selfless sacrifice of our nation’s veterans. Our veterans are part of an unbroken line of heroes who have defended the American people and stood up for American values - from the beaches of Normandy to the battles in East Asia; from the deserts of Kuwait to the skies above Kosovo; from the cities of Iraq to the mountains of Afghanistan. Since 9/11, a new generation of American heroes has borne a heavy load in facing down the threats of the 21st century, and their families have been asked to bear the painful absence of a loved one. These Americans are the best and bravest among us, and they are all in our thoughts and prayers.
"On this Veterans Day, let us rededicate ourselves to keep a sacred trust with all who have worn the uniform of the United States of America: that America will serve you as well as you have served your country. As your next Commander-in-Chief, I promise to work every single day to keep that sacred trust with all who have served. May God bless our veterans, and may God bless the United States of America.
With less than 24 hours to go until the polls close in Missouri, the ground game is in full force. Volunteers have poured into the Show Me State in recent days, eager to assist the existing local teams with the critical task of getting out the vote. One of those people is John W. from California.Yesterday he shared some thoughts from his first day canvassing in downtown St. Louis.
Today was my first day working for the Obama campaign in St Louis, and my team worked three "turfs" in the inner city, making sure that the voters knew where to go to vote, what to bring to the polls, and where to go if they needed help.
When I described the neighborhoods that we worked to my parents (who live here) they were terrified. ; Apparently these are some of the worst neighborhoods in the city, but everyone we talked to was so happy to see a team of volunteers for Obama. ; From white haired women in their 70s to the 18 year old young men, and everyone in between, they were all so excited about the opportunity to vote for Obama. ; The children on some streets were chanting along with us as we went door to door, letting their parents know we were coming.
Tomorrow, more of the same, and I can’t wait to get out there again.
Tuesday, we get everyone to the polls.
Follow John’s lead and become a part of historic movement. It’s not too late — in fact your time has never meant more. We need every single minute you can give, so sign up now to help in your area on election day. Together we will turn Missouri blue.
Nearly six days after polls closed, ballots are still being counted in some counties (with Missouri still yet to be officially called) but it’s not too soon to look back and consider what happened last Tuesday.
Over 121 million voters cast a ballot in this election, and the final number may be considerably higher. The number of votes already counted for Barack Obama — over 65.9 million — is the largest total for any candidate in history.
In addition to the states won by John Kerry in 2004, on Tuesday Barack Obama won the battleground states of Ohio, Florida, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and Iowa. A willingness to compete everywhere and a commitment to expand the electoral map resulted in victories in a number of traditionally Republican states as well. ;
On Tuesday, a Democrat carried the state of Indiana, the state of Virginia and an electoral vote in Nebraska for the first time since 1964. On Tuesday, a Democrat won the state of North Carolina for the first time since 1976.
An estimated 24 million Americans ages 18 to 29 voted in this election, an increase in youth turnout by at least 2.2 million over 2004, reports CIRCLE, a non-partisan organization that promotes research on the political engagement of young Americans. That puts youth turnout somewhere between 49.3 and 54.5 percent, meaning 19 percent more young people voted this year than in 2004, estimates John Della Volpe, the director of polling for the Harvard Institute of Politics. And that’s a conservative estimate, Della Volpe says.
"It looks like the highest turnout among young people we’ve ever had."
What happened on Tuesday wouldn’t have happened if not for an unprecedented grassroots movement that began over two years ago, and was ultimately transformed into the largest field organization in the history of American politics.
What happened on Tuesday was the result of ordinary Americans who invested in this campaign in whatever way they could: giving five or ten or twenty dollars, knocking on doors and making phone calls, talking to their friends and family and organizing within their own communities.
Writing for the Christian Science Monitor, Alexandra Marks explained what happened on Tuesday this way:
An estimated 136 million Americans – as many as 66 percent, the most since 1908 – pulled a lever, touched a screen, or filled in ballot. They are part of a radical transformation of American politics – not just in terms of ideology and party identification. It goes much further than that.
President-elect Barack Obama, harnessing the lightening speed of digital technology, tapped a new generation of young people, inspiring them to work, knock on doors, make phone calls, convince their parents, friends, neighbors, and grandparents that there was something in America still worth fighting for.
On Tuesday millions of Americans — young and old — fought for the hope of a better day, and won.
But what happened on Tuesday didn’t end on Tuesday. As Barack himself explained, this victory itself was not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change.
By THCB Staff Now that the results are in and the United States has officially elected Barack Obama as its next president, what does that mean to you and what will that mean for health care in America? After nearly… (Source: The Health Care Blog)
Tomorrow is going to be a big day. We’re expecting voters to turn out in record numbers in many states – which means there could be long lines and a little confusion with all the first-time voters. But no worries — our people are on it. We have Obama campaign staffers and volunteers working 24/7 to make sure the voting goes as smoothly as possible.
For some of the battleground states, we’ve put together short web videos about what to expect at the polls:
In general, it’s always good to bring a government-issued ID with you to the polls. And you should know that if you are in line by the time the polls close, you should be allowed to vote. Just stay in line and make sure you voice is heard.
Check VoteForChange.com to find your up-to-date polling information and learn what else you need to do to vote.
If you have any problems at the polls, look for an Obama volunteer or volunteer poll monitor. You can also call our voter hotline at 1-877-US4-OBAMA (1-877-874-6226).
But whatever you do, just make sure you get out and vote. We’re counting on your to stand up for change on Election Day.
Polls are open everywhere now and the people you know, no matter where they live, can cast their vote for change. Throughout the country an unprecedented GOTV effort is in place to reach out to every voter, but you are best positioned to talk to your friends and family to make sure they vote today.
Go through your phone book and call all of your friends and family to make sure they have voted. Or get in touch through text messages or emails. Help them find their polling place by directing them to www.voteforchange.com or, if you are making calls, look it up for them. Encourage people to go to the polls together and carpool if necessary.
Make sure your friends and family understand how important this election is, not just to you but for them as well. ;
Let’s leave no stone unturned as we get out the vote today.
