The 2004 Election marks the first time in modern political history that Republican voter turnout matched Democratic turnout in a presidential election year.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Voter turnout comes down to organizing, educating, activating.
Low turnout in off-year races is always a challenge for Democrats. Many of our voters require information and must be contacted way ahead of Election Day - and reminded of what's at stake.
When I first registered to vote I registered as a Democrat.
Polling in a general election is pretty accurate, because turnout is usually high.
Electoral turnout is falling among the young, and political apathy is on the rise.
Maryland first allowed early voting during the 2010 primary elections. In November 2012, more than 16 percent of registered voters in Maryland cast their ballots during the early voting period, and some polling places, particularly in our larger jurisdictions, witnessed early voting lines that were hours long.
I didn't really feel 100 percent comfortable until we started working on the 2004 election.
I became a Republican in 1951, the first year I could vote.
I reject the notion that a high turnout helps Senator Kerry. I think in Florida at least, it's going to help President Bush because we have gotten more registered voters than the Democrats, and our base is just fired up - thanks to your help and a lot of others.
One lesson is that if you want to predict voter turnout, you should ask whether at least one candidate is attracting high levels of enthusiasm - not whether the stakes are high, or even perceived to be high. That fits the historical pattern.