Chapter Two- 10 Myths about housing

"After all, election night, -- Northwest Indiana style -- can't pass without good, old-fashioned political rehashing, celebrating or commiserating.

In Gary, Barack Obama supporter Mayor Rudy Clay is opening the Indiana Room at the Genesis Convention Center at 5th Avenue and Broadway at 6 p.m. for what he bills as "the alternative Grant Park" party.

Sponsored by the Gary Committee for Change, the celebration will include a CNN broadcast of election returns on big screens, vote tallies and surprise guests.

In Porter County, most politicos watch the votes come in at the Porter County Government Center in downtown Valparaiso.

Then, Democrats will repair to the Valparaiso American Legion Post and Republicans will head to their headquarters on Lincolnway."

But Kathy Kozusek, the Democratic director of the Porter County voter registration office, said she still expects a huge turnout today.

She also gave a warning to people who are unregistered. Kozusek said she had heard some groups telling unregistered voters to go ahead and vote on an absentee ballot. However, unregistered voters cannot vote and will just take ballots away from people who are registered.

Also, anyone who is in line at 6 p.m. will get to vote, she said. Kozusek also stressed that anyone who has moved since they last registered needs to ask for a VRG 412 form or otherwise they will be fraudulently voting.

Just a quick note to remind that Steve Walsh will have local election coverage from Northwest Indiana tomorrow. I'm sure the other hosts will have tons of election coverage with Vocalo's unique user-created twist on 89.5 FM, so make sure to listen on your radio or stream the audio via your computer.

Want to do some reporting from tomorrow historic election? Sign up for a Vocalo.org account, register your cell phone number and report what's happening from your polling places around Northwest Indiana.

No matter who you vote for tomorrow, make sure to get out and vote. From Chris Hedges NWI Region Life.

Listen for local election coverage tomorrow on Vocalo.org

Line in Hendricks County

Update from Hendricks County, Indiana.

Lincoln Twshp - Precinct 2
Brownsburg, Indiana
Polling location: American Legion Hall, Main Street

As a Precinct Commiteeman and my wife Ronna being my Vice, we were there this morning to open the poll and get things set up (coffee for workers, breakfast... etc.)

The line started forming at 5:20am. When the poll officially opened at 6am this morning, there were more than 60/70 people in line. The line wrapped the room and stretched out into the parking lot.

It was an incredible sight. Never before in my life time have I seen a line like that to start before the poll opened!

More throughout the day...

Luke Russert, special correspondent for NBC and MSNBC, will cover the Presidential election live from the campus of Indiana University.

Russert, who has been covering youth trends on college campuses across America as Decision 2008 unfolds, will broadcast live, on-location, around campus on Election Day as IU students react to the election and the results.

Coverage begins with the 'Today Show' and will continue throughout the day on both networks. Russert will continue to broadcast live throughout the evening, including at an election night party at the Indiana Memorial Union at 6pm, hosted by the Indiana Memorial Union Board.

This Presidential election is said to be the most exciting in recent history and has engaged college students in unprecedented numbers. You can see that excitement first hand on Election Day at Indiana University - watch Luke Russert on NBC and MSNBC to catch all of the action!

Line starting to die down...?

Will Obama campaign be audited by Feds?

From the Foundry:

According to federal election law, any presidential campaign that participates in public financing is automatically audited after an election. When Barack Obama broke his promise to the American people, by forgoing the public financing system, his campaign became the first since public financing became law to have a chance of not being audited. Federal election law does still allow the FEC to audit a presidential campaign that does not participate public financing, but at least four of the six FEC Commissioners must first vote to pursue an investigation 'for cause.' There is no doubt that there is great 'cause' to be concerned about Obama's fundraising efforts ...

Morning Bell: the most fraudulent election

LAKE COUNTY TRIPLES EARLY VOTING: A tumultuous early voting season ended at noon Monday in Lake County when Merrillville resident Troy Williams arrived at the end of a line of that extended through the hallways and spilled down the front entrance stairs outside the Lake County Government Complex (Times of Northwest Indiana). "I didn't want to be waiting three or four hours on Election Day," Williams said, although he still had several hours before he could finally enter the building, fill out the necessary form and cast a ballot at one of the 10 electronic voting machines set up in the back of the building's crowded atrium. Some 34,394 or more than 11 percent of the county's total of registered voters had cast ballots in person by late Sunday at early voting sites in Crown Point, Gary, Hammond and East Chicago, and several thousand more cast early votes Monday or by paper ballot. That total in early voting is nearly triple the early and absentee balloting in the 2004 presidential election.

ONLY MINOR GLITCHES: Voting appears to be going smoothly in Indiana. Three polling precincts opened late in Indianapolis due to late arriving inspectors. Clerk Beth White said those problems were quickly resolved and her staff is dealing with only minor problems. Lake County voting appears to be off to a smooth start. (Howey Politics Indiana)

LAKE COUNTY TO COUNT IN CENTRAL LOCATION: Six months after its primary-day embarrassment, Lake County has taken steps to avoid a repeat of its slow tally, though its ballot counting could still be delayed by the volume of votes and the way absentee votes will be counted (Gannett News Service). Lake County election officials say increased staff and more machine counters are some of the changes that will enable them to have 98 percent of the vote counted by 11 p.m. EST today. "I'm sure hoping so," said Nicholas Gasparovic, assistant director of the Lake County Board of Elections. "The pure numbers in this are just unbelievable." Northwest Indiana's Lake County is still the state's only urban county that counts its absentee ballots in a central location. That's slower than counting them at multiple precincts, according to Secretary of State Todd Rokita. The county is expected to vote heavily for Democrat Barack Obama because it's a Democratic area, has a significant black population and abuts Obama's hometown of Chicago. The county cast 8 percent of the state's total presidential vote in 2004 and 10 percent of its Democratic presidential primary vote this year. Rokita said he's not going to judge Lake County's decision, because it could have good reason for wanting a central location, one close to the county's bipartisan election board, which can handle any disputes. "The fact of the matter is, counties have up to 10 days to legally report their results to us," Rokita said. "And I am not going to sacrifice fairness or accuracy for speed."

ROKITA SAYS 'EYES OF THE WORLD ON US': Rokita said he's spoken privately with leaders in Lake County and other parts of the state in a "checking-in kind of way" and reminded all that they are Hoosiers first before being Republicans or Democrats (Indianapolis Star). "The eyes of the world are going to be on us," Rokita said, "so it's a chance for us to shine."

92K VOTE EARLY IN INDIANAPOLIS: Early votes in Marion County In-person early votes: 73,550. Early ballots requested: 25,859. Early ballots returned: 16,748. Registered voters: 697,592. Hamilton County: In-person early votes: 23,997. Early ballots requested: 9,152. Early ballots returned: 8,317. Registered voters: 167,927. Johnson County: In-person early votes: 7,759. Early ballots requested: 3,012. Early ballots returned: 2,529. Registered voters: 92,666. Hendricks County: In-person early votes: 11,970. Early ballots requested: 4,359. Early ballots returned: 3,967. Registered voters: 93,886. In-person early votes: 6,113. Early ballots requested: 1,971. Early ballots returned: 1,755. Registered voters: 38,500.

LONG WAIT IN KOKOMO: Sources in Kokomo say there are one to two hour waits at a number of precints this morning. (Howey Politics Indiana)

HUGE TURNOUT EXPECTED IN MADISON COUNTY: Unprecedented turnout for early voting means nearly 12 percent of registered Madison County voters completed ballots before polls open Tuesday (Anderson Herald-Bulletin). Interest in in-person voting has risen in the days leading up to the election. On Saturday alone, 595 completed absentee ballots at the Madison County Government Center, and the final 278 ballots submitted there Monday brought the final tally to 6,055. Many people who waited two hours to vote Monday said they did so because of Election Day conflicts. "I have to work," said Brenda Sheller of Anderson. "This way I can enjoy the celebrations (Tuesday) night." The high number of in-person ballots and the 4,776 mail-in ballots received as of Monday add up to 10,831 or 11.7 percent of Madison County's 92,552 registered voters. That's compared to the past three presidential elections, which each brought about 6,000 total absentee ballots. Local election officials said participation on Election Day could result in record turnout. "It's going to be huge, the biggest election we've ever seen," said County Clerk Ludy Watkins. "The polls are going to be crowded, and people are just going to have to be patient."

19% VOTE EARLY IN VIGO COUNTY: About 15,000 registered voters in Vigo County had cast an absentee ballot in four satellite voting sites -- nearly 19 percent of the 79,413 registered voters in the county -- prior to the close of absentee balloting at noon Monday (Terre Haute Tribune-Star).

WHIPLASH COURT RULINGS: Conflicting court rulings handed down Monday gave Marion County election officials whiplash as they tried to keep up with a legal fight over how to handle absentee ballots challenged at the polls today (Indianapolis Star). But when the dust cleared, the upshot remained the same: If you've already cast an absentee ballot and your eligibility to vote is challenged today at your precinct, your ballot will be set aside until a bipartisan team can review it later this week. That was decided by a unanimous decision Monday evening by the Indiana Supreme Court, which sided with the Marion County Republican Party. The ruling brought quick criticism from county Democrats. It came less than two hours after an Indiana Court of Appeals panel, voting 2-1, issued a stay halting a Circuit Court ruling from taking effect. In its decision, the Supreme Court vacated the stay. The high court let stand Marion Circuit Judge Theodore Sosin's ruling Friday that the Election Board would violate Indiana law by telling poll workers to decide the merits of absentee challenges immediately.

LINES MOVE QUICKLY IN LAFAYETTE: Voters should have few problems regardless of which vote center they decide to visit around Tippecanoe County today. As of 7:15 a.m., many vote centers had short lines (Lafayette Journal & Courier). "There are lines, but nothing unmanageable," said Tippecanoe County Clerk Linda Phillips. At some vote centers, people "can just walk in and vote," she said. Even at vote centers with long lines, wait times were generally short.

From NW Indiana blogger Chris Hedges
A huge turnout in Northwest Indiana is expected on a nice election day

I went to my polling place this morning and spotted long lines of people waiting to vote -- cars were lined up waiting to park, other cars were lining 109th Street in Crown Point and parking across the street at Southlake Stables.

The local paper indicates early voters were waiting in lines up to 5 hours long in Gary and 2 hours in Crown Point, so I suspect we're going to see record voter turn out this election.

I'm going to swing by later in the morning after people have gone to work to see if the lines are shorter and cast my vote. Of course, if the lines remain long all day, make sure to get into line before 6 p.m. so that you'll be admitted to vote after the polls close.

1. Average Joe American Says:
   November 4th, 2008 at 9:07 am

   I headed out the door at 6:10 AM to go cast my ballot. I arrived at the polling location just three minutes later (it's just around the corner), and had to park at the Doctor's office across the street because the school parking lot was full and cars were already lined up along the street.

   The long line of waiting voters stretched outside the door, down the side of the building, across the parking lot, and began to wrap back around the parking lot.

   After waiting twenty minutes in line outside, a poll worker came outside to announce that voters from my District could go inside and begin voting. There were apparently two Districts voting at the same location, and the bulk of the turnout was for the other District. Several of us walked around the line and entered the school, walked across the gym to our District polling area, and joined a much smaller line.

   In less than ten minutes, I had ballot in hand, cast my vote for John McCain, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, Greg Zoeller for Indiana Attorney General, Tony Bennett for Superintendent of Public Instruction, Gabrielle Campo for U.S. Congress, and others.

   I have been a voter for two decades and have never had to wait in line to vote like I did today. This will surely be recorded as a record turnout in America. What does this say of our political climate today? I think it says that one side of the population wants to be a part of history while the other side wants to make sure that history doesn't stand in the way of what's best for the country. That's my view, anyway, and probably the view of most voters who cast their ballots similar to mine.

   History is a great thing. Being a part of history is a great thing. America is absolutely ready for the first Black (or is African-American the politcally correct term these days) or first female in the White House. More importantly, America is ready for the right person in the White House, and I encourage all Americans to cast their vote with their mind, not their heart.

1. Joel Harris Says:
   November 4th, 2008 at 10:26 am

   I got in line at 5:50 this morning. I left the polling location at 6:45. This was not so much because of numbers (though there were a lot) but because people were taking forever to punch all the buttons that they needed to punch. (I prefer the paper, fill in the dot ballots in Indy to the MicroVote machines in Hamilton Co.)

   There were certainly a lot there. The poll worker told me that 70 of the 700 registered voters were early/absentee voters through Friday. We will see an incredible voter turnout today. I just hope that Indy doesn't turn out to have a 110% turnout.

10:29 AM -- Absentee ballots may delay results

By mid-morning, Marion County Clerk Beth White was still smiling - relieved that it is so-far, so-good for voters in Indianapolis.

A reader writes:

I know you will receive many stories today about horrific, horrendous and distressing voting experiences, offset by some that will be inspirational, heartwarming and perhaps even hilarious. I thought you might like to know that for some (lucky?) people, the process came off with no problems, no excitement, and no histrionics. I live in Charlotte, NC. I arrived at 6:00 a.m. and there were maybe 30-40 people on line already. Polls opened at 6:30 and I was done at 7:22.