Presidential Campaign Heats Up as Election Day Approaches

Strategic Insights -

With the presidential campaign reaching its climax, President Bush and Senator John Kerry are leaving no stone unturned in their quest for the White House. Both candidates have been crisscrossing the country, addressing rallies and trying to get their voters to the polls. As millions of party volunteers prepare for a state-by-state ground war, the two campaigns are making last-ditch efforts to gain an advantage. With early voting already underway in 31 states, the stage is set for a potentially tumultuous election day.

Key Takeaways:

  • The presidential campaign has entered its final stretch, with President Bush and Senator John Kerry vying for every possible advantage.
  • The two parties have mobilized a large number of volunteers, with Democrats having 250,000 in battleground states and Republicans having 300,000 in key states.
  • Early voting has already taken place in 31 states, with 30% of registered voters in Florida having already cast their ballots.
  • The Bush campaign has been dealt a blow by two federal judges who barred political parties in Ohio from challenging voter registration inside polling places.
  • Republicans have appealed one of the rulings to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.
  • Both candidates have heavy schedules in the final days leading up to the election, with President Bush visiting six states and Senator Kerry visiting four states.
  • The campaigns have been engaging in pre-election legal skirmishing, with both parties having thousands of lawyers on standby.

Statistics:

  • 1.2 million Republican volunteers are ready to help get out the vote, with about 300,000 of them in key states (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Florida, and Ohio).
  • 1 million Democratic volunteers are arrayed to get out the vote, including 250,000 in battleground states.
  • 30% of registered voters in Florida have already cast their ballots through early voting allowed in 31 states.
  • The USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll found that the presidential election is a dead heat.

Sources:

  • "President's final sprint," USA TODAY, no date mentioned
  • "Bush, Kerry head into Election Day in frenetic mode," CNN, no date mentioned
  • "Election 2004: Kerry, Bush fight to the finish," The Boston Globe, no date mentioned