Statewide Races Election Day Open Thread

Check here to find the latest on the Presidential, U.S. Senate and Row Office races across Pa. We’ll have updates all day Tuesday, and returns Tuesday evening.

10:54 pm: The Associated Press has called the race for Auditor General for Democrat Eugene DePasquale.

10:41 pm: The Associated Press has called the races for Attorney General and Treasurer for Democrats Kathleen Kane and Rob McCord.

7:56 pm: From Daniel Cook, Campaign manager to Sen Dave Argall (R-Schuylkill): “Turnout has been solid throughout the district and has been consistent with the initial morning numbers .  Our volunteers are still making last minute phone calls to those voters who haven’t reached the polls yet. Voters have responded to our message the entire campaign in a positive manor and its clearly showing with the enthusiasm we are hearing from Pine Grove to the Poconos.”

4:52pm: Election admin problems in Philly. Reports the City Paper: The names of registered Philadelphia voters are not showing up on voter rolls and poll workers are instructing them to vote using provisional ballots, according to voters and poll workers in West and North Philadelphia. Provisional ballots,if they are counted, are not counted until up to seven days after the election.

4:30pm: Romney adviser ang GOP veteran operative Ed Gillespie had hopeful words about Pa on CNN:

“When we saw what was going on in Pennsylvania, we thought here is a real opening in a pretty big state that favors Governor Romney. That’s why we saw them in the Philadelphia collar counties the other night and in Pittsburgh today. So we feel very, very good about Pennsylvania. I think he’s going to win Pennsylvania tonight.”

3:50pm: Romney is on the ground in Pa., greeting GOP volunteers in Green Tree. There’s not currently any media event planned. Here’s a photo from Romney’s campaign.

1:50 p.m.: Former Gov. Tom Ridge told Fox News that the GOP thinks PA turnout may sway in their favor. He said voters in “the collar counties in Philadelphia” as well as those in Bucks and Montco will decide against the President, who Ridge said has been divisive and promoted class warfare.

“A lot of them have sons and daughters that graduated from college who can’t find a job. So you pull these things together and there is an intensity and an excitement as evidenced by the 30,000 people in 45-degree weather on Sunday night we haven’t seen in Pennsylvania in a long, long time.”

12:40 p.m.: A door hanger seemingly paid for by the PA Dems has been sending York voters to the wrong polling place. The door hanger included a photo of the President and Sen. Casey, and was distributed in what is considered to be a Dem stronghold. The Patriot-News reported that if the mixup “deters a significant number of people from voting, it could affect a potentially close presidential race…as well as the 4th Congressional where Democrat Harry Perkinson needs a strong showing in York to compete with Republican Scott Perry. State Rep. Eugene DePasquale, whose district includes York, would also like a strong turnout to boost his run for Auditor General.”

12:27 p.m.: A PA election judge has ordered an Obama mural in a Philadelphia polling place to be covered up.

Noon: A GOP operative working around several congressional and state legislative races says turnout is high everywhere: the suburbs, in the city and in rural areas.

“Looking more like ’08 than ’04 at this point.  We are doing the traditional strike-and-drag program as well as some targeted door knocking.”

11:28 a.m.: A clarification of the BPP allegation – this photo was taken by the PAGOP at 1221 Fairmount Ave in Philly. Fox News also recorded their own footage and broadcast it.

11 a.m.: PA GOP spokesperson Valerie Caras tweeted this morning about a mural of President Obama painted on the wall of a Philadelphia polling place. “Talk about #demshenanigans,” she wrote. The party has been scouring Philly for signs of impropriety.

10:30 a.m.: New Black Panthers sighted in Philly? From Philly’s good government Committee of 70: “Seventy dispatched volunteers to the Philadelphia polling place at 11th St. and Germantown Avenue this morning, where reports surfaced earlier today that the New Black Panthers were back in Philly and at this polling place. Neither Seventy’s volunteers, nor City officials who visited the polling precinct and checked in with Seventy, saw any signs of the New Black Panthers. We’ll keep you posted, but as of now, no hard evidence that this report is true.”

10:18 a.m.: Chatted with team Casey and they’re feeling good. Strong turnout reported in NEPA so far, plus good weather there as everywhere.

9:55 a.m.: In Philly, a Court of Common Pleas judge ordered polling locations to seat GOP minority inspectors. The PAGOP celebrated:

So far this morning, Democratic operatives prohibited 75 legally credentialed Republican election workers from accessing polling places in heavily Democratic areas in Philadelphia. Incidents ranged from judges of elections refusing to seat Republican Minority Inspectors and Clerks, to reports of Democratic election operatives announcing that “No Republicans will be allowed in the polling place.”

9:50 a.m.: The AFL-CIO is expecting “well over 3,500 volunteers staging from three dozen locations across the state,” said a spokesman.

9:41 a.m.: Said one Dem insider in Montgomery County: “Turnout started off slow in SEPA but then increased a lot…some of the precincts in my district are already between 25%-35% turnout.”

9:30 a.m.: From Tom Smith CM Jim Conroy: ““Thousands of volunteers across the commonwealth have been knocking doors and making calls for months, and their effort peaks today.”

9:20 a.m.: From all over the state – the North Hills and Butler County in the west, to Luzerne County and Bucks in the east – we’re hearing reports of heavy early turnout.

7:00 a.m.: The polls are open! We’ll be up with our first update soon.

15 Responses

  1. Jon-
    Freed never would have investigated any abuses by Corbett. Kane will be a good watchdog.

  2. Asher, Gleason, Corbett gotta go. Candidate selection boys. You got your clocks cleaned because you imposed your will on the State Committee. You’ve been doing it for years and, well, it just bit you on the ass. Tom, you are in really deep sh*t. With the Generals after you. The irony is Freed was the much better candidate, but your guys ran a terrible, dismal, incompetent campaign.

  3. Frank-
    I’m racist? Against whom?

    If you voted against Obama just to spite me, then you are an even bigger idiot that the people who are voting for Romney.

  4. Diano, you’re a nasty, racist, hate-filled person. I voted against Obama just to spite you.

  5. Why the hell is former Gov. Tom Ridge calling me to vote for Republican Candidates in Penn. and why I am I woke up by a pre-recorded message saying “WE NEED A NEW STATE AUDITOR IN PENN.” I ask this because I live in FLorida!!! Someone might with the Republican Party might look at a MAP!!!!

  6. Jack-
    Angry? I’m thrilled to see all the Dem turnout. This election will be called for Obama by 10pm when Virginia comes in.

    Why do you think African Americans voting Dem is “racist”. They voted over 90% for Clinton, Gore, and Kerry as well. If Hillary were running against Herman Cain, she would still get over 90% of black vote.

  7. Turnout huge here in Central Montco too – but it was ALL Dem voters! Not even a Repub. greeter outside to counter several Dem greeters, and there was an actual Dem candidate inside – not a GOP worker in sight. No surprise – Montco is a Dem County now, and Obama’s collar margin will be higher than 2008. Tea Party Tom Smith and Mormon Romney really diminished GOP enthusiasm around here – too educated to fall for simpleton stuff or Wall Street lies.

  8. David Diano: My observation of the very large crowd not being an “Obama crowd” is based on my personal observation of the Denocratic Committee person being snarled at and ignored by about 95% of the crowd. The only racism this election is in N. Philly and the 99% of African Americans who will blindly push the Dem button. You are an angry man David. You are going to be very angry around 11 pm tonight…

  9. The mural was at Ward 35 Div 18. A school. So it was painted by the kids who go there.

    Not a Dem conspiracy.

  10. News Alert: The PAGOP found a black person at a polling place in Philadelphia.

    This person was so “intimidating” that he smiled when they took his picture.

  11. Central Bucks County polling locations were swamped at 6:45 am. And one thing I can say with 100% certainty, these are NOT Obama crowds. The Dem poll watchers are being ignored .Watch results tonight. Romney wins Bucks by at least 10%. The wave is here people. ROMNEY 2012!!!

Email:
  • Will tonight's U.S. Senate debate affect your decision?


    • No. I've already decided on how to cast my vote. (81%)
    • Yes. Anxious to hear from both candidates (19%)

    Total Voters: 27

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