Clinton, Obama matchup drives up voter turnout in Montana

[babylonsister]

Clinton, Obama matchup drives up voter turnout

By JENNIFER McKEE
Gazette State Bureau


HELENA - Montana election officials are expecting almost half of all registered Montana voters to show up at the polls tomorrow, a blow-out voter participation rate for a primary election, which are usually widely ignored.

"We're hoping for 47 percent turn out," said Bowen Greenwood, a spokesman for Brad Johnson, Montana's secretary of state and the highest elections official in the state.

As of late last week, about 1,000 more Montanans were registered to vote than in 2006. And compared to 2004, the last presidential primary, there's better than 32,200 new voters registered.

Montana's early June primary is always one of the last in the nation. This year, Montanans, South Dakotans and Republicans in New Mexico will be the very last Americans to cast presidential primary ballots. That late date, combined with Montana's few nominating delegates, usually means the fireworks have long since died down by the time our election rolls around and the Montana vote decides nothing.

But this year, front-runner Illinois Sen. Barack Obama has a thin lead over New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Their bout is still in full swing and the vote margin between them is slim. That means Montana's 17 nominating delegates are actually a prize to be fought over. Both candidates have made multiple campaign stops in the state and both sides are running television ads tailored specifically to Montana voters.

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http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/06/02/news/state/20-voters.txt

[John Q. Citizen]

1. It's a good article, except the "thin lead " comment is quite misleading.

I will be out placing door hangers today in Ravalli County.