Local Reports: Turnout High In MA-Sen

State Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) and State AG Martha Coakley (D-MA)
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Boston-area TV station WBZ reports voter turnout “appears high” in the Massachusetts special election today. High turnout could be good news for Democrats, who vastly outnumber Republicans in the state. But increased turnout in the right areas could also be good news for Republicans, who are fired up about Scott Brown’s (R) chances to replace Ted Kennedy in the Senate.

Massachusetts Secretary of State Scott Galvin told WBZ “he expects about 40-percent of voters to turn out” today, roughly double the number that voted in the primaries in December.

Late Update: The Boston Globe reports that “more than 23,000 ballots” had been cast in Boston as of 9 a.m., a “night and day” difference from the primaries. Turnout appears high in liberal precincts, with “roughly the entire turnout for the primary” casting ballots by 11 a.m. in the Democratic stronghold of Jamaica Plan in Boston.

Later Update: On MSNBC this afternoon, Boston Herald columnist Mike Barnicle shared reports of “long lines” at suburban polling places in Massachusetts today. He said that news is a likely sign that Brown’s voters are turning out in big numbers.

More Updates:

– The Boston Globe reports that the high held steady through the morning . More than 55,000 ballots were cast in Boston by noon, which is more than twice the number cast in the December primary by midday.

– An update on the afternoon from the Globe: “In Boston, nearly 82,000 people, or about 23 percent of registered voters, had cast ballots by 3 p.m., a pace that is well more than double that during the primary last month. Other cities and towns experienced similar waves of voters.”

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