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March 4, 2008

Clinton, McCain leaving Obama, Huckabee behind in R.I.

Hillary Rodham Clinton is beating back Barack Obama in today's Rhode Island Democratic presidential primary, 49,007 to 30,566, with about 50 percent -- or 88 of 179 -- of polling places reporting, according to unofficial state Board of Elections results.

Republican John McCain, the Arizona senator, was steam-rolling over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, 7,534 to 2,677, also with about 88 precincts reporting, the unofficial results show.

As of 10:05 p.m., results have not yet been entered for some towns in Rhode Island.

Polls leading up to today had consistently put Clinton, the New York senator, ahead, but with Obama, the Illinois senator, narrowing the gap in the hotly contested race. But most pundits had expected the race to be much closer, given Obama's recent string of primary victories.

What may become the most historic number of all in Rhode Island is the total number of ballots cast today, as state and local officials signaled an unprecedented turnout for a presidential primary.

The state's 179 polling places closed at 9 p.m. Lines and steady streams of voters appeared to be common around the state, according to Journal reports.

Few technical glitches were reported, though some voters complained of confusion over whether they had disaffiliated or not from previous elections.

Also a problem: Some voters didn't know where to go to vote. Polling places have been closed since the last election to save money, and there are routinely fewer polls for primary elections. Both may have also contributed to longer lines.

The record turnout for the state's presidential primaries held since 1988 was in 2000, when 82,964 Democrats voted and 46,844 Republicans voted.

Registered Democrats now outnumber Republicans more than three to one, but there are more unaffiliated voters than those parties combined. Unaffiliated voters were allowed to vote in either party's primary.

This evening, Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis’ office reported a record number of people voted in Greater Providence.

“We’ve been visiting the polling places in Greater Providence -- Warwick, East Providence, Cranston -- and poll workers are saying this is the heaviest turnout they’ve ever seen,” Mollis spokesman Chris Barnett said in the evening.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports Pam Cotter of projo.com com and Journal staff

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 10:10 PM | Permalink

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