Obama's Audacious Voter Registration Drive - Can We Get Past 60% Turnout?

[Median Democrat]

The Nation magazing explained the Obama campaign's monumental effort with thousands of volunteers to increase voter registration and turnout:

Wanted: New Voters

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080901/hayes

Thsi effort has had some success in registering millions of new voters thanks to the efforts of the volunteers and community organizers that the GOP denigrated:

Democrats post big gains in voter registration

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26575403/

However, the GOP has been countering this by directing voter purging efforts in swing states:

Ohio's Election Stolen Again? State May Face 600K Voter Purge in Coming Weeks

http://www.alternet.org/democracy/94977/ohio_may_face_mass_voter_purge_in_coming_weeks/

So, the question will be who wins the efforts to enfranchise versus disenfranchise voters? Will the Obama campaign be successful in raising voter turnout above 60 percent, a level that has not been reached since 1968? Indeed, can we surpass the 63.1 percent turnout record reached in 1960? I think the answer will depend on the efforts of the thousands of volunteers. I think the outcome of this election will likely be dependent on whether we can surpass the 60 percent mark.

[mckara]

1. 60% Would be Fantastic!

If we have it, we win!

[Median Democrat]

2. I Find It Amazing That Voter Turnout Is So Low Even During Presidential Elections

Even in 2004, with the Iraq war as a prominent issue, we only cracked 55%. We talk a lot about trying to convince diehard Republicans to vote Democrat. However, it seems that the real challenge is simply to get people to vote in the first place. Even a modest increase in voter turnout by 5% is likely to alter the outcome of the election if the turnout comes from areas whose demographics favor the Democrats.

[wildflower]

3. K&R

I believe this is what we should be focusing on most now.