Massachusetts Senate Race Update

Posted by NosferatusCoffin | January 19th, 2010

So far, so good.

No major fraud reports have come out (yet). Turnout is heavy.

WBZ is reporting heavy traffic at the polls. (Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin)

In contrast to the light turnout for the party primaries last month, there are several signs of a heavy turnout.

Election officials in Boston said there have been more than twice the number of voters that showed up for the primaries.

Secretary of State William Galvin says he expected from 1.6 million to 2.2 million people to vote — a spread of between 40 percent and 55 percent of registered voters.

In the late Sen. Ted Kennedy’s district in Barnstable, they’re estimating a 60-percent turnout by the end of the day.

A line of cars stretched for nearly a half-mile from the gymnasium at North Andover High School. Some drivers turned around in exasperation.

From Politico, more evidence of massive Dem defections to Brown:

A Democratic operative familiar with Martha Coakley and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s massive get-out-the-vote operation says that outreach workers in and around Boston have been stunned by the number of Democrats and Obama supporters who are waving them off, saying they’ll vote for Scott Brown.

Via The Weekly Standard: (Hat Tip: Sister Toldja)

1) Western Mass – Coakley needs a huge margin out of what I call the “Rachel Maddow Belt” – the Berkshires, where she has roots, and the Pioneer Valley. She probably needs a 5,000 vote lead out of Amherst and high turnout in places like Springfield, Pittsfield, and Northampton.

2) The I-495 Ring – This is Brown’s bread and butter, and he needs to rack up big leads in towns like Haverhill, Dracut, Marlborough, and his home area near Wrentham and Foxborough. These are the places where Mitt Romney broke through to win the governorship in 2002.

3) The Cape and Southeastern Mass – The Kennedy belt. Barnstable and Plymouth Counties are presumably the places where Kennedy’s memory ought to rescue Coakley in the eleventh hour. Brown will probably narrowly win the TOWNS of Plymouth and Barnstable, which are usually bellwethers. If Coakley carries either, she will probably be on her way to winning statewide. If Brown wins both with more than 55%, watch out.

4) The 8th CD – The heart of liberal Massachusetts needs to come out in a big way for Coakley if she is to have a shot. Cambridge should turn out dependably, but will the Boston machine crank out votes at the same rate as other places in the state? Will Capuano’s voters be as enthusiastic about this race after they didn’t get their man?

Fraud Alert Update:

Via Michelle Malkin is a video and report of someone handing out absentee ballots:

They’ve just posted video of a woman in Lawrence, MA, carrying around blank absentee ballots in Spanish today. She explains how she’s telling people to mark Martha Coakley’s name. The woman handing out the ballots identifies herself as “Isabel Melendez” and says she has a talk show in which she promoted Coakley’s candidacy.

–snip–

The deadline to apply for absentee ballots for the January 19, 2010 special election for US Senate was Friday, January 15.

Video: