Morning News Digest: Tuesday, November 4, 2008

With the PolitickerCO.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Colorado's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

Good morning, Colorado. Today is Election Day.

On Monday, Politicker.com National Managing Editor James Pindell released his final Election Day predictions. Check out the political forecast for Colorado:

http://www.politickerco.com/editorco/2709/pindell-report-releases-final-election-day-predictions

If you’re trying to figure out the political calculus for the nation’s most competitive U.S. Senate, U.S. House, gubernatorial and presidential swing state races, be sure to check out The Pindell Report. Explore races across the country. Print out updated rundowns and keep track of races as the polls close and ballots are counted:

http://www.politicker.com/pindell-report

http://www.politicker.com/pindell-report/printable

Here is this morning’s Wake-Up Call …

Late-night tallies expected

More than 200,000 mail-in ballots poured into county clerks' offices across Colorado over the weekend, easing tonight's ballot- counting burden. (The Denver Post)

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_10890987

Colorado's voters key until the very end

On one of the last stops in a campaign that vaulted her onto the A-list of American politics, Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, urged a vocal crowd in Colorado Springs on Monday to help her running mate, Sen. John McCain, win Colorado's nine electoral votes. (Dean Toda, The Gazette)

http://www.gazette.com/articles/palin_42795___article.html/colorado_mccain.html

2008 Colorado election preview: State Senate

By all accounts, the Democrats' five-seat majority in the Colorado State Senate is safe, but either party could gain a couple seats during this year's election. (PolitickerCO.com)

http://www.politickerco.com/jeremypelzer/2715/2008-colorado-election-preview-state-senate-races

2008 Colorado election preview: State House

In a year that looks pretty good for Democrats, Republicans will be hard-pressed to make a big dent in the Democrats' 15-seat majority in the state House of Representatives. (PolitickerCO.com)

http://www.politickerco.com/jeremypelzer/2713/2008-colorado-election-preview-state-house-races

Palin fires up Colorado Springs crowd

COLORADO SPRINGS — Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin delivered a patriotic speech to an electrified crowd of about 3,600 on Monday, in the breathless final hours of stumping in the presidential election. (Allison Sherry, The Denver Post)

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_10890882

McCain's visit may draw 10,000

As many as 10,000 people are expected to fill a hangar at Grand Junction Regional Airport today as Republican presidential candidate John McCain makes a final push for votes in Colorado. (Gary Harmon, The Daily Sentinel)

http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2008/11/03/110408_1a_McCain_preview.html

Boulder County’s election officials are predicting smooth sailing Tuesday, despite a flaw they’ve discovered on some ballots that could result in inaccurate results if they’re not properly inspected. (Ryan Morgan, The Daily Camera)

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/nov/03/paper-dust-could-create-election-day-hassle/

Perlmutter shares Obama road trip stories

On the day of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's visit to Colorado last week, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Golden) chose Obama over 110,000 people. (PolitickerCO.com)

http://www.politickerco.com/jeremypelzer/2711/perlmutter-shares-obama-road-trip-stories

CSU analysis shows Markey needs heavy unaffiliated voter support to win

Fourth Congressional District Democratic nominee Betsy Markey will likely need 60-percent-plus support from unaffiliated voters to defeat U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Fort Morgan), according to an analysis set up by a Colorado State University professor. (PolitickerCO.com)

http://www.politickerco.com/jeremypelzer/2716/csu-analysis-shows-markey-needs-heavy-unaffiliated-voter-support-win

You can learn early what early voters did

County clerks will announce about half of their vote counts shortly after the polls close today. (Myung Oak Kim, Rocky Mountain News)

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/03/state-election-counting-expected-go-well-morning-w/

With the PolitickerCO.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Colorado's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.