GOP claims "edge" in early voting

More Repub pre-propaganda, this time from the Wall Street Journal….

Republicans See Edge From Early Voting

Democrats Question Specific Claims and Believe They Are Catching Up With the Trend
By JOHN D. MCKINNON and ERIKA LOVLEY
October 31, 2006; Page A4

WASHINGTON — Down in the polls and with their majorities in

Congress at risk, Republicans say they have some good news in early-voting statistics that suggest their voter-turnout machine is providing an edge in some tight races.

If the trend holds, it could mean that early voting is growing — and continuing to benefit Republicans, who exploited the practice in the 1990s. Experts say early voters could be a bigger factor this year when overall voter turnout could be lower than in 2004, a presidential-election year.

This year, though, Democrats contend that Republicans are exaggerating their successes so far, by highlighting a few races, while ignoring problems they are having in motivating their troops around the country. Democrats also questioned several specific Republican claims, while noting their own early-voting numbers show they are starting to catch up with their rivals in early get-out-the-vote efforts in battleground states such as Iowa.

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