Kerry Spot    [ jim geraghty reporting ]
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From Wisconsin:

I'm a college student in western (ie rural) Wisconsin. As of 11:00 this morning, over 540 people had voted in my ward, which covers most of school. The wait is over an hour long. My guess would say the vote is going to go 60/40 in favor of Kerry. On the other hand, another school just down the road is about 65/35 bush, so it may be the battle of the turnouts.

From Kaukauna, WI:

I live in city of approximately 15,000 in northeast WI (just south of Green Bay). The paper mills and the teachers unions are powerful and active here. Lines have been over a block long since the polls opened. Lots of people in line that were first registering this morning. Just by the feel of the crowd, I didn't get any good vibes for W.

From Minnesota:

Minneapolis:

I voted at 7:10AM in Minnesota congressional district 60. It took 30 minutes - about twice as long as four years ago. The vote counting machine said mine was the 151st ballot cast. The precinct is near Cedar Lake, one of Minneapolis' wealthiest neighborhoods, where Kerry lawn signs outnumber Bush by about 20 to 1.

Eagan:

I live in Eagan, a south suburb of Minneapolis/St. Paul, which is Jon Kline’s district. I arrived at my polling place at about 7:00 a.m. when they were scheduled to open and there wasn’t a parking place to be found. I waited about an hour to vote and when I left the line was just as long. I’m new to the area so I talked to a few people who have lived here for a while and they were surprised the wait was that long.

Michigan:

From Holland, Michigan:

Polling places I have driven by today have full parking lots and lines, something I have never seen in the 19 years I've lived in this town. Never once have I waited to vote.

An odd report from Pennsylvania:

I vote in Curt Weldon's district in Suburban Phila, and at 9:30 there was no one there, I walked right in and voted. Not good news for Bush. On the other hand, I drive through the city to go to work, and two polling places in African American areas had no lines either.

And a couple of reports from Ohio:

I live near a small small village called Lithopolis Ohio. My wife and I got there at 7AM and could not vote until 8AM. The polls will close at 730PM. The turnout seemed huge. I've never had to wait that long in the 8 years I've voted here. Hundreds were in line ( I was 111 and an identical line on the other side of the room was a similar amount) and the line was there when I left. This is a heavy Republican Precinct and I think a record number will vote.

I live in Avon Lake, Ohio, a suburb to the west of Cleveland, along Lake Erie. I vote at our city library. I got there at 8:10 and the line snaked out of the voting room. Counting the folks in line, I roughly calculated a 45 to 60 minute wait. I gave up and came downtown to work; I'll vote later in the afternoon. Hopefully I can leave early and vote before the "after work" rush.

I vote in a township outside Cincinnati. We are 80 percent Republican and today there was an hour and ten minute wait.

And yes, I’ve seen the reports about Zogby: “CO — KERRY UP (phone), PA — TIED (phone), VA — TIED (online), FL — BUSH UP (phone).”

The online poll in Virginia, well, who knows if that method is accurate. A Kerry win in Colorado would be huge, and a shock. It would literally refute every pollster in the state. The Florida news is welcome to Bush folks, and the Pennsylvania tie report… I wonder if the union guys aren’t all that thrilled with Kerry’s style.

[Posted 11/02 01:01 PM]