High voter turnout expected in MA-SEN contest, could approach 70% (Boston Herald).

[jefferson_dem]

If so, this would be great news ... for COAKLEY!

High voter turnout expected
By Jessica Fargen | Sunday, January 17, 2010

Turnout could hit as high as 70 percent Tuesday in the high-stakes U.S. Senate battle between Democratic Attorney General Martha Coakley and GOP state Sen. Scott Brown, according to some local election officials.

Absentee ballot requests have increased - on par with levels ordinarily seen in a presidential election - some town clerks say. And town and city halls were buzzing last week with people voting and asking questions about registration in advance of the election to fill the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s seat, said Theodora Eaton, president of the state’s city and town clerk’s association.

“I wasn’t anticipating the interest that has developed,” said Needham town clerk Eaton, who processed 1,000 absentee ballots and expects up to 70 percent turnout.

“We’ll see well over what was originally expected,” for turnout said Braintree town clerk Joseph F. Powers, attributing the high level of voter interest to TV ads and media attention.

Gerry Cuddyer, chairwoman of the board of election commissioners in Boston, processed 4,800 absentee ballots and has been flooded with calls from voters checking their registration.

“That would indicate to me that turnout may be higher than expected,” she said.

Turnout is crucial in the tight race, which also has the candidates facing the unusual challenge of a special January election after a holiday weekend.

On Election Day, Coakley will have workers in every state Senate district, “reaching out to their volunteers,” said spokeswoman Alex Zaroulis.

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http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/20100117high_voter_turnout_expected/srvc=home&position=3