Well, that probably didn't make you want to go exercise your hard-earned right to vote, but please overcome your fears and do so anyway! :)
P.S. I'd love to know what you're seeing and hearing out there. Feel free to use this diary to share your observations, predictions, etc. Thanks.
UPDATE: It's 6 am, polls are open. Also, bad news from Kip Malinosky, there should be a long line at the polls at 6 am in Arlington, not a "small line."
UPDATE #2: Rich Anthony, a Democrat running for Congress in the 10th CD, says that with "Two minutes to game time...there's about 10 people lined up to vote at Navy Elementary" in Sully District, Fairfax County.
UPDATE 6:16 am: This is slimy, "Republicans handing out a blue sample ballot, exact same shade of blue as the Democratic one" in Arlington? As Kip Malinosky writes, "WTF?"
UPDATE 6:22 am: After this tweet, I'm almost tempted to call the election for McDonnell/Bolling/Cooch. There should be LONG LINES IN ARLINGTON on a gubernatorial election day. No lines at all a few minutes after polls open? Horrible.
UPDATE 6:37 am: Rich Anthony tweets, "No line at Navy Elementary in Sully District. Good news is that they've worked out the early kinks and things are moving."
UPDATE 6:41 am: Salem Republican tweets, "Salem update #2. At least 5 Rs at every precinct at the moment. ZERO Dem poll workers. Where are all the Dems?" (Note: Salem is just west of Roanoke)
UPDATE 6:48 am: Kyle Blankenship emails that he's "hearing lots of older, white voters out (Iaquinto's district, Va Beach)." Uh, I may not be a political genius, but something tells me that's not the demographic that's gonna win it for Creigh et al. today. Ha.
UPDATE 7:17 am: Here is an illegal ballot (because it's yellow colored) being passed out by the Jackson Miller campaign in Manassas and Prince William County. The county registar has asked that they stop using these illegal ballots. (click to "embiggen")UPDATE 7:25 am: Kyle Blankenship emails, "My precinct. Lots of older white voters. No minorities or anyone under 45, except me. No Deeds [signs]...4 Wagner signs." What the heck is going on with Deeds' campaign poll coverage? So far, it looks absolutely horrible. Another Deeds campaign #fail#fail#fail#fail?
UPDATE 7:28 am: Kip Malinosky tweets, "129 people have voted thus far in Fillmore, meh." Miles Grant adds, "Low turnout in Arlington=great news for @BobMcDonnell." My fellow Dems, barring divine intervention, we're @#$@#$'ed.
UPDATE 7:40 am: WEBCYC tweets from SWVA, "Our unopposed Commonwealth's Attorney has more signs out than Steve Shannon."
UPDATE 7:41 am: Intrade has Bob McDonnell at 99.1 (out of 100) right now to win. They have Jon Corzine at 53.9. Go Corzine!
UPDATE 9:32 am: I went out for a while, so here are a few updates since 7:41 am. First, Brian Devine reports that there are "more gop vols here at arlington 15 lyon park than there were at last years general - 4 or 5 now w their blue sample ballots." Dan Kalbacher reports, "the [Stevens] Miller campaign ground game is rockin! High turnout down here....as of 7:30 we've had 209 voters and I'm guessing another 50 or so since then. If we can't win this it isn't the lack of work from the Miller folks!" Dan also says, "About 460 at Coopermine/McNair! So far so good in a Democratic area!!!" Jared Madison tweets, "Not a single Republican outside poll worker in Occoquan." Jared also reports, "at 9:21 a.m. I was called a communist. I've literally been called a socialist and a communist within an hour. Stay classy repubs." Jake Tapper tweets, "DNC already emailing around an analysis by rival network saying VA/NJ races say much more about those candidates than they do about POTUS."
UPDATE 10 am: Church Hill in Richmond: In '05, 1,600 voters for Kaine. This year? 18 voters at 7 am. Not good. In Chesterfield: Steadier at "R" than "D" precincts. No Dem coverage at "R" precincts. No Shannon, Wagner signs anywhere. Ugh. On the brighter side, Jason Rylander tweets that the line at Woodlawn (Arlington) is "15 deep at 8:15."
UPDATE 10:21 am: Jon Bowerbank tweets, "Voted 209 at Belfast in RC. #s tracking Obama turnout - higher than fcst. Weather helping. Great news for Ds. Patton will win CA slot!" Go Brian Patton!!!
UPDATE 10:31 am: In Great Falls (leans "R"), there's reportedly "heavy turnout," it's "hard to find parking," and "everyone has McD/Comstock stickers on." Also, yard signs in that part of Fairfax County are running 10-15:1 "R" over "D" according to my friend who lives there.
UPDATE 11:20 am: The Washington Post reports that "there has been a continuing and steady stream of people moving through the Chesterbrook polling place in McLean." Also, "The lines aren't nearly as long as last year, but it's definitely not a dismal turnout." Chesterbrook went 61% for Tim Kaine and 58% for Leslie Byrne in 2005.
UPDATE 11:24 am: Kip Malinosky tweets, "Hearing that central area Arlington precincts all at about 300-400 voters, about 05 level turnout." That's good news.
UPDATE 12:22 pm: I just voted for Deeds/Wagner/Shannon...512 voters at noon at heavily Democratic Virginia Square precinct. Saw no Shannon or Wagner signs, only volunteer was for Eric Brescia (R). Kip Malinosky tweets, "575 Ashton heights, 546 fillmore, Jefferson 607. Again ok, not great, but ok."
UPDATE 12:27 pm: I'm highly skeptical of this report, but a "Democratic operative" told me that as of 10am, "Democratic bellweather precincts in Arlington and Alexandria are 2-3 points higher than state turnout so far." In addition, they say that "Charlottesville, where Creigh spent the morning and has just finished a media tour, had 10 percent turnout already as of 10am and is running way ahead of state average." We'll see...
UPDATE 1:11 pm: NLS tweets "The Deeds campaign is full of crap. Arl/Alex/Fair always have higher turnout than state as whole."
