NH Dave - "One of the problems with exit polling is that no one polls, or even can poll, the people who vote by absentee ballot, or who vote early, as is allowed in many areas, now. With these voters unreachable, any validity of exit polling goes right out the window. "

Early voters can be polled, and their responses should be included. Absentee voters are not polled, and their numbers can be great.

Nerd, you're right that absentee votes are seldom counted, unless the election is "close." But this year in Florida I understand that about 37% of the state voted absentee, largely because people didn't trust the paperless machines. Since the electronic machines tended to be used in heavily Democratic counties, there's a good chance the absentee votes might be as much as 2:1 in favor of Kerry & the Democrats.

Especially when much political hay is being made over the POPULAR VOTE, it's important that ALL VOTES be counted -- even if we think the voters have decided on all issues and candidates.   The SPREAD is important, too, when interepreting "the will of the people."

It's outrageous for FLORIDA to have been called for Bush when the absentee ballots have not been counted.



Kim C - "If Kerry had won, would we be having this conversation?"

Not only WOULD we, Kim, but people like Bev Harris and Greg Palast and many, many others HAVE BEEN having this conversation for YEARS. The mainstream media have given it little attention, but lots of us have been talking about voter problems and demanding that they be fixed ever since the fall of 2000.

And the issue is NOT who WINS. The issue is that EVERYONE ELIGIBLE to vote should be ALLOWED to vote -- without being harrassed or threatened or having to stand on line for hours -- and even ENCOURAGED to vote. Then EVERY VOTE SHOULD BE COUNTED.

Them's s'posed to be the RULES in our "democracy." We need to keep having "this conversation" till those in power GET it.