Election Day Follies

Today, if the polls are to be believed, the Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives and gain ground, but probably not control, in the Senate. As far as legislation goes I don't think it matters very much who controls the Senate, since the Democratic House will deadlock with a Republican president in any case. It will matter for judicial appointments, though.

So far the following have been reported. The governor of South Carolina was turned away at the polls because he left his voter registration card at home. A poll worker in Kentucky was arrested for trying to strangle a voter. Daggett County TX has registered 947 voters, which would pass without remark except that the county only has 943 residents. Missouri's chief of elections was asked for a photo ID when she voted, despite such a requirement having been ruled unconstitutional. The FBI is investigating deceptive or intimidating calls made to likely Democratic voters in Virginia, and widespread glitches with voting machines in Indiana, Ohio and Florida have led to delays and the use of paper ballots.

In a sign of the times, Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist at the last minute bailed out of an appearance with Jackass in Pensacola.