The Republican National Committee released its tally for Early Voting and Absentee Ballots in nine critical and contested battleground states as of 4 p.m. in the East.
Arizona
Republicans now lead by over 100,000 absentee ballots returned, the RNC reports. This lead is due to Republican strength in returning ballots. While Republicans lead in ballots requested with 36.5 percent of the total, Republicans also lead in ballots returned with 40 percent of the total.
Colorado
In Colorado, Republicans have continued to build on daily leads in ballots returned, and now have an advantage in total ballots cast, 775,000 to 756,000, the RNC reports. In the following swing counties, Republicans are currently outperforming their share of registered voters in that county: Arapahoe – Republicans make up 29 percent of all registered voters and 34 percent of all votes cast to date. Jefferson – Republicans make up 30 percent of all registered voters and 33.5 percent of all votes cast to date; Larimer – Republicans make up 31 percent of all registered voters and 35 percent of all votes cast to date.
This is very promising to see, as Republicans are also outperforming their share of registered voters in traditionally strong Republican counties, the RNC said.
In Douglas County, Republicans have returned 49 percent of 151,000 ballots cast and in El Paso County, Republicans have also returned 47 percent of 248,000 ballots cast.
Georgia
For much of the summer and early fall, the media was reporting that Georgia was in play for the Democrats and their presidential nominee Hillary R. Clinton.
The RNC reports that although Georgia does not have partisan registration, there are numerous strong indicators in the early voting trends so far.
Republicans said that when examining the Atlanta suburbs of Cobb County and Gwinnett County, which Romney won 55-43 percent and 54-45 percent respectively, turnout appears way up compared to this point in 2012.
In Cobb County, there has been a 34 percent increase in absentee and early vote turnout to date, which has amounted to over 40,000 more total ballots cast to-date, and in Gwinnett County, there has been a 55 percent increase in turnout to date, which has amounted to over 59,000 more total ballots cast to date, the GOP said.
Florida
There is no state more tightly contested than Florida. The Republicans report that they trail by 78,000 fewer ballots cast than on Election Day in 2012, which completely erases the margin Romney lost Florida by in 2012. This is a very promising sign into tonight in one of the most important races in the country. In the 2012 election, President Barack Obama beat his GOP rival W. Mitt Romney by less than one percent.
Iowa
The RNC reports that in Iowa, Republicans today continue to make up 2.5 percent more of the total share of ballots cast, having closed the deficit in ballots cast by over 22,000 compared to this day in 2012. They also contend that there is a clear difference in enthusiasm between the two parties here in Iowa. While Republicans have cast 14,000 more ballots to-date than in 2012, Democrats have cast 7,000 fewer ballots to-date.
Michigan
The Republican nominee for president Donald J. Trump put Michigan in play in the last two weeks of the campaign, and just after midnight Trump held his last rally of the campaign in Grand Rapids.
Republicans report that voter turnout is up throughout Michigan, although it would appear to have spiked especially high in Republican-leaning regions of the state. In Kent County, the largest county to support Romney in 2012, there has been an increase in ballots returned by over 56 percent compared to 2012, which amounts to an additional 26,000 ballots cast. In Livingston County and Ottawa County, which Romney carried by 61 percent to 38 percent and 67 percent to 32 percent, respectively, each have increased the amount of ballots returned by 36 percent compared to 2012.
Nevada
The Republican National Committee said its field operatives have outperformed 2012’s final Early Voting/Absentee Voting vote total by over 16,000 ballots cast. This has led Republicans to closing the Early Voting/Absentee Voting margin compared to 2012 by over 2,000 ballots cast.
North Carolina
The GOP reported that as of Election Day, Republicans trail by over 140,000 fewer ballots cast than in 2012. Romney ultimately prevailed in NC despite facing a much larger absentee and early vote deficit going into Election Day.
As a whole for absentee and early voting, Republicans have cast over 115,000 more ballots than we did in 2012, while Democrats have cast over 20,000 fewer ballots through today than they had in 2012, they said. Democrats have dropped in the total vote share six percent compared to 2012, while Republicans have increased their early vote share by 0.5 percent.
Ohio
The RNC reported that they continue to see a significant drop-off in turnout from the counties that supported President Obama four years ago.
Cuyahoga County has had over 52,000 fewer ballots cast than they had in 2012, which is a 20 percent drop off of voter turnout. Franklin County has had over 18,000 fewer ballots cast than they had in 2012, which is an eight percent drop off of voter turnout. Hamilton County has had over 13,000 fewer ballots cast, which is a 12 percent drop off of voter turnout, and Summit County has over 5,000 fewer ballots cast, which is a six percent drop off of voter turnout.
Another positive sign for the Republicans, they said, is key counties that supported Romney, where there is stronger support than in 2012 absentee and early voting:
Warren County has already cast over 6,500 more ballots than in 2012, an 18 percent increase in voter turnout. Delaware County has already cast 1,500 more ballots, a four percent increase in voter turnout. Greene County has already cast 2,500 more ballots, a 10 percent voter increase, and Miami County has also cast over 2,500 more ballots, a 15 percent voter increase.
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