Voting brisk as the French decide

[MethuenProgressive]

Source: The BBC

France is reporting record turnout as voters choose between socialist Segolene Royal and conservative Nicolas Sarkozy for their next president.
In a hotly contested poll, nearly 35% of voters had cast their ballots by midday - the highest morning turnout for such an election in over 30 years.
The two rivals are bidding to succeed Jacques Chirac after 12 years.
The first round brought 85% of the electorate out to vote, the highest turnout for 40 years.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6629077.stm

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my comment: 85% turn out!!

[momzno1]

1. you have to love it!

And voting on Sunday - a day that many more people here would be able to go to the polls - how civilized. Viva La France!

[Eurobabe]

5. I second that! Viva La France!

Could you imagine if we had voting on a Sunday??

[svpadgham]

6. X-tians

would complain, complain, com--PLAIN!

[Cirque du So-What]

2. 85% turnout?

Mon dieu!

In no way would I want to deflect this thread, but it's worth investigating what it would take to invigorate the electorate in this country in order to get a turnout that even approached that level. Besides, GOTV efforts typically help the Democratic candidates.

[onehandle]

3. 85% would kill the Republican Party here.

Rove's worst nightmare. A solid turnout.

[Ellen Forradalom]

4. Maybe

The reigning theory in France, like here, is that the traditional no-shows would've voted left...but that doesn't seem to be the case this time.

[nolabels]

7. Just because the catch is large?

http://senahasa.org/projects/madella.htm

Does not indicate that it is of good quality. With the poorly informed general public who get most of their news from TV and the like.......well you know :shrug:

The public has been so thoroughly propagandized about so many things that a large turnout might even be a bad thing