Ted Stevens and Mark Begich finally got their chance to debate one another in person last night. Because of the timeliness of this post, there are few post-debate analyses available at this point. However, the debate seems to have been relatively straightforward, with the mainstream media most interested in Stevens' handling of questions about his conviction, which came early on.
Stevens handled them well, hammering the prosecution's frequent legal missteps. In responding to the intraparty calls for him to step down, he bluntly echoed my sentiments: "They are trying to get elected."
Uninteresting debate aside, there's a interesting piece over at Politico about the logistics of the next few weeks. Basically, Alaska's large share of absentee ballots are likely to swing the election weeks after the polls have closed. Some numbers to flesh that out:
Alaska has 490,000 registered voters, and traditional turnout in a presidential year is 60 percent, or about 300,000 total votes. According to Alaska’s director of elections, Gail Fenumiai, there have been 44,000 absentee ballots mailed out for this election.
Fenumiai says the state board of elections won’t begin counting mail-in absentee ballots until the day after the election – and that the process could take 10 to 15 days after that.
First, let me correct a quick factual inaccuracy. Alaskan voter turnout is significantly higher than the 60 percent conventional wisdom number thrown out by the author. Alaska's voter turnout in the last election was over 70 percent, the fifth-highest in the nation. That's in an election cycle that was considerably less politically interesting than the rollicking, multi-race, competitive cycle we've had this year; I wouldn't be surprised if real turnout, which runs a few points higher than reported turnout, hits 80 percent.
In any case, the article's point still stands; it's likely Alaskans be waiting much longer than they're used to on election night.
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2 comments:
Well Stevens has got 1 thing right.: hiosx party is throwing him under the bus. And it makes sense. The Republicans can't afford association with anything perceived with corruption at this point. Their image already sucks.
And a big thumbs down to the prosecution. Come on. It's proving Ted Stevens guilty of corruption. How could it have been so difficult that you needded to circumvent judicial procedures?!
Hopefully the rest of the nations turnout can hit that 70% mark. That'd rock!
I bet the pre-conviction absentee votes will be more towards Stevens than the Nov. 4 polls. But my guess is he's going down. And hopefully taking super-sleazy Don Young with him.
If this race is close - and I hope it is not, it will take many days for a winner to be declared due to so many voting early. The poles are even open this weekend here on the Kenai Peninsula, and they are busy! This may prove very interesting on how both canidates and Alaskans handle the time lag.
I for one will not vote for a law maker who has been found guilty of breaking them. Yes Ted you are guilty, our system determined that - you are not innocent just because you plan to appeal.
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