MARKETS GOING SOUTH AT THOUGHT OF KERRY WIN? Just got this info from Al at 3:45 p.m.: "The New York Stock Exchange and NASDAC markets have just turned south on reports that Kerry is doing well in key states. Just happened. The exchanges were in the black until about 5 minutes ago."

We Hear Grains of Salt Are Good for Your Health

Daily Kos is up with the first of the leaked exit polls showing Kerry leading Bush in PA, FL, OH, MI, NM, MN, WI, NH, tied in IA, way behind in AZ, and slightly behind in CO. For what they're worth.

STYLUS PROBLEM IN BLOWING ROCK PRECINCT. From a B'Rock poll greeter, minutes ago:

"It's been steady all through the morning, though lines were longer very early before 7 am. I know of at least one instance at BR precinct where a card's holes did not punch (I think the stylus was defective), and the gentleman got away before they caught him, but I think someone knew him, so hopefully they called him back to come and try again. The stylus problem was discovered later while I was standing outside and someone was trying to vote curbside -- and they reported that the 'metal piece' was missing, so it wasn't punching -- they got her a new pad/stylus."

AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT has been filed against Republican assistant judge Deborah Greene at the Boone 2 (student) precinct by another assistant judge, for harassing a would-be student voter. She's moved from protecting Watauga against the evils of ZONING to protecting us all from the evils of democracy.

LONG LINES IN WAKE COUNTY. Raleigh N&O is reporting that long lines had formed at some polling places in Raleigh well before the polls opened at 6:30 a.m. People standing in line at a North Raleigh site were surprised when a donut stand opened up, offering free donuts to Bush supporters and asking 75 cents from everyone else. The little enterprise was rather quickly shut down ... but its short life illustrates how the Bush people missed an opportunity. They should have been giving out FREE Bibles to non-Bush voters, rather than soaking them for donuts, since such citizens clearly need the Word of God far more than useless calories.

9:13 a.m. Democrat Party HDQ packed since 7:30 a.m., mainly with students trying to figure out where their polling place is. There's been a line at Boone 2 precinct since about 7:30, but it's moving steadily. Steady turnout at the other student precinct, Boone 3. Cove Creek precinct ... the parking lot's jammed ... so both Democrats and Republicans are turning out. Blowing Rock precinct's had a line since very early, but it's moving steadily.

Getting Our Priorities Straight

A new poll by Elon College will surely endear North Carolina voters to you, if you're into know-nothingism. Many of them don't have a clue what the issues are in the presidential race, though they can tell you plenty about abortion and gay marriage. But, hey! Does anything else matter beyond who's having sex with whom? Or didn't we learn ANYTHING from Bill Clinton?

Betcha a new penny that young and first-time voters were as under-represented in this poll as in all the national ones.

Big Party Givers

The Raleigh N&O is out today with a partial list of the top donors statewide to the Democratic & Republican national committees.

On the list for the Republicans from Boone is James H. Parr Jr., who gave the maximum $25,000 to the Republican National Committee. There are no Boonies listed for the Democrats in that range.

Final Early-Voting Tally in Watauga County

As of the end of early voting on Saturday ... 10,560 voters total.

D: 4,193 (40%)
R: 4,043 (38%)
U: 2,324 (22%)

Here's a link for reading about turn-out in Buncombe County (undifferentiated by party, but we expect the pattern that emerged state-wide holds true there also).

Meanwhile, Republican operatives are whistling Dixie. This very a.m., a very nice young man working for Dick Burr told us confidently on the phone that early voting trends were definitely in their favor. They must be reading numbers from some fairly obscure counties ... like, maybe in Utah?

Does Bowles make it? Dunno. He's been a poor candidate overall, doing what he could to diss the Democratic base. But if Kerry/Edwards pull N.C., they haul Bowles' sorry butt with them. Young people and first-time voters hold the power state-wide. If they turn out, it could be a sweep. If they don't turn out, it could be the New Ice Age. With democracy itself the great flash-frozen victim.

UPDATE: These figures from Forsyth County, at the close of early voting on Saturday (again, thanks to Hayes):

Dems 14,517 (49%)
Repubs 11,647 (39%)
Unas 3,617 (12%)
Libs 32 (0%)

FURTHER UPDATE: This just in from Mecklenburg County ...

Of the 105,000 people who voted early or absentee in Mecklenburg, 49,000 were Dems and 38,000 were Reps. Of the Dems, one-third -- about 16,000 -- were voters who vote less than 50% of the time. (Ditto our great thanks to Hayes for passing these numbers along.)