Voters Turn Out in Record Numbers Across the U.S.

The election is over and a new president has been selected. In this year's presidential contest, more than ever before, a majority of Americans exercised their right to vote.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Catholic Online) - At 5:45am in Loudoun County, Virginia the parking lot at Horizon Elementary School was full and the line was wrapped around the building as voters awaiting the opening of the polls. In line, the talk focused on the turn out, with people often unaware if they were talking with a Republican, Democrat, or Independent.

Scenes like this have been duplicated in cities and counties around the national since early morning as America may be experiencing one of the largest voter turnouts in history. In New York City voters were beginning to line up around 4am, two hours before the polls opened.

Poll watchers have indicated that this year we may surpass the record turnout of 64% in 1960 when Democrat John F. Kennedy defeated Republican Richard M. Nixon.

In an interview with USA Today, Donald Green, director of Yale's Institution for Social and Policy Studies, stated, "I could imagine us getting up there into the high 60s, to an unprecedented high."

Most political analysts have attributed the unprecedented nature of this election with the possibility of electing the first black president on one side and the first female vice president on the other. Turnout this year has been especially high among black voters and those under 30.

In California, Los Angeles County experienced a record 79% turnout in 2004. This year, however, they are anticipating an even higher percentage, with 72% of registered voters already casting their ballot by 6pm local time.

Officials expected that between 130 and 140 million voters will participate in this year's election, compared to 121 million in 2004. When the dust settles, we will, no doubt, see huge figures when it comes to voter turnout.

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