James W. Pindell's blog

Will today really be the Democratic landslide some are predicting? Dixville Notch votes may have already answered that question.

For the first time since 1968 Dixville voted for a Democrat. And it wasn't even close.

Consider that Dixville voted twice for George W. Bush. In 2000 Bush's won 21-5 and in 2004 he won 19-7.

Which makes Obama's 15-6 win this morning an ominous sign for Republicans.  Then again it was only 21 people.

Before Barack Obama's grandmother died today she cast an absentee ballot to help Obama become president. 

Under Hawaii law, though, that ballot will not count. The state law says that if the local election clerk is notified before the polls open on Election Day the ballot is invalid.

The issue is whether or not someone conveniently forgets to tell the clerk.

If Democrats wind up with 59 U.S. Senate seats on Election Day, they can still reach the magic filibuster-proof number of 60 if the new President appoints Republican Olympia Snowe to his cabinet. The Governor of Maine, John Baldacci, would presumably appoint a fellow Democrat to serve until a November 2010 special election to fill the balance of Snowe's term.