Battlegrounders
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MICHIGAN: WHAT I'M HEARING [Henry Payne 11/02 04:53 PM]

Sources say major media exit polls put Kerry ahead in ALL battleground states except Colorado as of early afternoon. Kerry leads are generally slim - 1-2 points in Ohio, Iowa, and Florida - but larger in Pennsylvania (10) and Michigan (4).

As expected, Michigan voter turnout is heavy. According to Detroit News reports, officials in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties say the numbers are above average in the precincts they had visited or heard reports from.

"Unless it just stops, I think we're going to have a great turnout," says Macomb County Clerk Carmella Sabaugh.

In Reagan Democrat Macomb where culturally conservative blue collars have been courted heavily by the Bushies, turnout averages 65 percent of registered voters but Sabaugh was expecting turnout to eclipse the 73 percent voter turnout in 1992.

"There's more at stake right now," Sabaugh said. "People are very determined. They are coming out to vote for the president or for a new president."

In Wayne County, home of Detroit, Clerk Cathy M. Garrett is expecting 80 percent turnout. Nevertheless, the Justice Dept. is already investigating allegations of black voter intimidation, and reporters are getting emails from alleged voters who claim they have been harassed. Part of a pre-emptive legal move by Democrats to question the results?

In West Michigan, a poll challenge superviser in Holland reports: "voting is heavy, in some precincts heavier than officials have ever seen. Weather overcast but no rain since 8:00 am. Some reports of conflicts and protests by Dems. in precincts with the GOP using electronic PDAs (used for poll watching), but I have not experienced in my 11 precincts."