Although the early ballots will not be counted until Election Day, analyses of those who have already voted in tossup states hint at the challenges Republicans face.
■ Since Ohio opened early voting Oct. 2, more than 812,000 residents have cast ballots, or about 14 percent of the 5.8 million tallied in the 2008 presidential election. One survey of some of these voters taken by the Wall Street Journal/NBC gave Obama a sizable lead, 63 percent to 27 percent. Predictably, the Romney campaign downplayed the poll, saying that it captured only a few days of voting.
No Republican has won the White House without winning Ohio.
■ In Iowa, about a fourth of likely voters have done so, with 47 percent of those 376,000 ballots cast by Democrats and about a third by Republicans, according to a tally compiled by George Masons elections project. Romney is doing slightly better than McCain did in early voting in 2008, but the trend so far is not favorable, McDonald said. It will be more and more difficult for Romney to make up the difference.
■ In Nevada, registered Democrats have cast nearly half of the 215,000 ballots since voting started last week, with Republicans accounting for 37 percent, and independents and other voters 16 percent.
President Obama, Mitt Romney battle over early voters as a hedge against Election Day letdown - Politics - The Boston Globe
■ Since Ohio opened early voting Oct. 2, more than 812,000 residents have cast ballots, or about 14 percent of the 5.8 million tallied in the 2008 presidential election. One survey of some of these voters taken by the Wall Street Journal/NBC gave Obama a sizable lead, 63 percent to 27 percent. Predictably, the Romney campaign downplayed the poll, saying that it captured only a few days of voting.
No Republican has won the White House without winning Ohio.
■ In Iowa, about a fourth of likely voters have done so, with 47 percent of those 376,000 ballots cast by Democrats and about a third by Republicans, according to a tally compiled by George Masons elections project. Romney is doing slightly better than McCain did in early voting in 2008, but the trend so far is not favorable, McDonald said. It will be more and more difficult for Romney to make up the difference.
■ In Nevada, registered Democrats have cast nearly half of the 215,000 ballots since voting started last week, with Republicans accounting for 37 percent, and independents and other voters 16 percent.
President Obama, Mitt Romney battle over early voters as a hedge against Election Day letdown - Politics - The Boston Globe
