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Here's a bunch of maps from Mark Newman, professor of physics at the University of Michigan, that show the breakdown of red and blue states and counties in the election.

Pretty cool. You can probably figure out the red and blue. Purple shows parts of the country that were more evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats.

Throughout the election, the News & Record’s Voterspeak panel debated issues from how they felt about city bonds to moves they would make in a presidential campaign.
They asked questions of candidates for governor and senator. They researched on the Web and found links with their insights on politics and the election.
Like much of Guilford County and the nation, they followed the 2008 election while war, economic crisis and those long — sometimes bitter — campaigns pushed from all sides.
For their final topic, the panel is looking back on the election and forward to the politicians taking office.

Responses are excerpted below. Go here to see full responses.

“ I hope and pray president-elect Obama will fulfill his promise to be a unifier. Will his administration help this nation move toward unity or toward policies which undermine the foundations upon which the United States of America were built (faith, family, freedom)? Time will tell.”
—Jeff Bartolet, 38, Republican

“ My greatest fear is that there is a sector of folks that will continue to hold their hand out for assistance while the rest of us work to contribute. Maybe we need to get back to basics and teach our young that we should work for what we have and that government is not in place to support our wants, but help us in our need.”
—Phyllis Davis, 64, Republican

“ As most Americans believe, the country is going in the wrong direction and whenever something is going wrong the best thing to do is change something. Doing things the same way when they are not working is never the answer.
“I am glad that I have been able to witness this historic event. No one knows what the future holds, but I think people will look back at this period and realize that Americans made the right choice.”
—Kendall Garvin, 29, unaffiliated

“This presidential campaign forced Americans to really examine where we were as it relates to issues of race, sex and class. I’m hopeful because, I think that as a whole, we voted for the America of the future; an America that is a little closer to being the one that the founders said it could be.”
—Trevor Hamm, 25, Democrat

“Our horribly failed experiment with having a drinking-buddy-chief-executive has left a legacy of illimitable incompetence, compensated for with arrogance that we will be hard-pressed to overcome in the near term. Which segues nicely into the impact upon our future generations. They are going to ask, and rightfully so, 'What the hell were you thinking?’
“ Our system of government is not broken by any stretch of anyone’s imagination. Badly bruised, to be sure, but not broken. We are Americans, after all, and we are capable of astounding accomplishments, boundless compassion and dogged determination. We still enjoy a way of life that is the envy of the planet and I see no end to it.”
—Mike Kelly, 60, Republican

“ We have been part of the problem due to lack of interest and action, and we must become part of the solution. I hope the spirit of social activism of the campaign will carry over to the next four years.”
—Marlene Costa Nielsen, 67,
Democrat

“Wednesday — the day after — was one of my best days as a teacher, and I know it will remain one of the best for years and years to come, because I was able to show my kids that all the encouraging things they hear from me, other teachers, and folks at home really do mean something. We watched the concession and acceptance speeches. And we watched a documentary on the Birmingham Children’s March with information about the Bloody Sunday march in Selma. They could see how far this country has come, even though there are still plenty who disagree with or even fear what this election will bring.
“I certainly hope that we have learned what a little hard work can bring about. I also hope that voters in my age demographic and younger can now see how incredibly important their involvement is, regardless of party affiliation.”
—Kate Peeples, 27, unaffiliated

“I will start with my four stepchildren. They are American in every way except citizenship. It was thrilling for them to be witness and participants in this election. These children, global Muslims, feel they are now part of America’s future. To take pride in their future country is the most valuable asset for any citizen. They will tell their children this election is when they truly felt American — because America elected a global citizen as its president.
“I have never viewed Obama as a savior. He will make mistakes.
“But this change gives America an opportunity for global redemption, and indeed, it may be the last opportunity we have. This historical moment begs America to embrace this change, new traditions, and accept that certain discomfort is always a prelude to improvement.”
—Deonna Kelli Sayed, 34,
Democrat

“On a national scale we must all support our new president, as long as he supports us. If we see a steady, evenhanded approach to domestic and foreign policy, then support will naturally flow. If we see policies that inhibit growth, transfers wealth from one segment to another and generally go against the entrepreneurial spirit that built this country, this will be a one-term president.”
—Mike Sigmon, 61, Republican

“ Will my fellow liberals temporarily set aside our issues of principle that enrage principled conservatives so we can solve practical problems? Is it foolish to expect those who booed at McCain’s gracious concession speech to forgive our past excesses so we can work together? Dare I hope that those of us infuriated at the Bush agenda will also forgive him for the sake of our nation’s future?
“I’m willing. Who’ll join me?”
—Ruth Mary Weston, 54,
Democrat

Continue reading "Voterspeak: Wrapping it up" »

Got that voting itch, but don't know what to do now that Election Day is over?

Check this out: We started this to let you give your thoughts on what you want U.S. Senator-elect Kay Hagan to focus on in her early days in office. The war? Economy? Immigration? Something else?

Go and scratch that voting itch!

Kay Hagan, a Greensboro state senator and Democrat, has knocked Republican Elizabeth Dole out of her U.S. Senate seat. That's remarkable for any number of reasons, not the least of which is Dole was supposed to be unbeatable if you listened the national media six months ago.

(For the record, I had a slightly different take back in May.)

Worth noting locally is that Hagan will be the first U.S. Senator elected from Greensboro. That's not to say there haven't been some with connections.

According to Congressional historians, Bedford Brown served in the U.S. Senate in the 1800s and died at "'Rose Hill,' Caswell County, N.C., near Greensboro, December 6, 1870; interment in the family cemetery at 'Rose Hill.'"

Jesse Franklin, a former governor and U.S. Senator, is buried at the Guilford Battleground National Park.

Perhaps the closest contender was David Settle Reid, "a Representative and a Senator from North Carolina; born near Reidsville, Rockingham County, N.C., on April 19, 1813."

Also close (but no cigar) was William Kerr Scott, "a Senator from North Carolina; born in Haw River, Alamance County, N.C., April 17, 1896; attended the public schools of Hawfields, N.C.; graduated from North Carolina State College at Raleigh in 1917."

Reporters checking in from the polls say voting is going well here in Guilford County, and voting rights groups say they have no reports of serious complaints around these parts, unlike our neighbors to the North.

For our running notebook on Election Day doings, click here.

And let us know what is on your mind via the comment link below.

The News & Record’s Voterspeak panel is making predictions, and we hope you'll make some too. Read their guesses for Election Day results, make your own calls in the comments section, and see how your picks stack up against the actual winners on Tuesday.

QUESTION: “This one comes in three parts. First, one office anywhere on the ballot and make your prediction on who will win and why. Second, choose race from these three - president, governor or U.S. senator - and say who will win and why. Third, make a call on a ballot initiative such as one of the Greensboro bonds or the quarter-cent sales tax and say why you think it will pass or fail.”

And Voterspeak says:

Jeff Bartolet, 38, Republican: "Roy Cooper will win attorney general because he properly diffused the highly public Duke lacrosse case and handled his office respectably well.
"Pat McCrory will win the governor’s race for his strong leadership and high profile as mayor of Charlotte.
"The Parks and Recreation bond will not pass because it didn’t pass when the economy was seemingly in better shape. It’s definitely not a necessity during lean times."

Phyllis Davis, 64, Republican: "I predict that McCain will win by a very slight margin with a recount. The American “backbone” will come through at the last moment to prove the media wrong on poll counts and issues. We aren’t ready to destroy the America our forefathers intended it to be.
"I think Dole will win in the senate race. Kay Hagan’s record in North Carolina of not being able to help balance the state budget, her meeting with the “Godless” group without explanation and her incredible wealth will make North Carolina voters uneasy.
"Steve Troxler will again be elected the Secretary of Agriculture. He is a “hands on” farmer and has served this state well in this position."

Kendall Garvin, 29, unaffiliated: "For governor I think Pat McCrory will win the election with a small margin even with the predictions of a strong turnout of democratic voters. I think Perdue is vulnerable because North Carolinians do want a change from the same politicians who have been in office for a while, but can’t really tell what they have done while in office. Furthermore, Perdue’s lack of participation in the first debate probably affected some voters' thoughts about Perdue.
"For Senate I think Kay Hagan will win the election. I think North Carolinians realize that Dole doesn’t have much of a connection to North Carolina anymore. If there was some chance of her winning I think she ruined it with her attack ad on Hagan claiming Hagan did not believe in God. After the negative publicity from HER ad she still considers it a legitimate ad. This showed the nation a piece of her character and most people regardless of political affiliation thought the ad went to far.
"The parks and recreation facility bond probably is not going to pass. With the economy like it is at this time most people will probably look at having a swimming pool and an extra park as an unnecessary expense."

Trevor Hamm, 25, Democrat: "I think Kay Hagan will defeat Elizabeth Dole in the Senate race. The "Godless" ad probably tipped the scales for Hagan if they hadn't tipped already. I think that Obama will win the presidential election by a significant margin because he represents the most significant shift from the policies of the Bush administration.
"There will be a large number of Obama votes that come from people who haven't fully been factored into the polls because they are not traditionally considered to be likely voters. I don't think that any of the bonds will pass simply because economic times are so hard."

Mike Kelly, 60, Republican: "I am going to throw caution to the wind and predict that ol’ ship of state, Howard Coble, will be the 6th District congressman. Why? Because he’s Howard and one doesn’t vote against an institution. More to the point, Ms. Bratton has not done jack to convince us to do otherwise.
"For senator, the magic eight ball says Elizabeth (Don’t Call Me Liddie) Dole has put herself squarely behind it with this last screed calling into question Ms. Hagan’s religious faith. A pundit wrote that when a candidate uses religion in a campaign they usually don’t have a prayer. Score a close one for Kay Hagan.
"The War Memorial initiative will fail. The taxpayers of Greensboro know this facility benefits a small percentage of the community. And while having the auditorium and its wonderful programs is a cultural star in our crown, now is not the time to drop fifty mil into the orchestra pit. When this city is again flush with discretionary monies, then we can refurbish the War Memorial."

Marlene Costa Nielsen, 67, Democrat: "I predict that Kay Hagan will defeat Elizabeth Dole, whose performance as U.S. Senator has been lackluster at best. For governor, Pat McCrory has run an effective campaign against Beverly Perdue, who hasn't capitalized on her many years in government. Although the sales tax increase initiative didn't pass before, it has a better chance this time due to uncertainty in the economy."

Kate Peeples, 27, unaffiliated: "I think Roy Cooper will easily win the Attorney General race. I think the governor's race is still very much a toss-up, so I'll say I hope Perdue wins. I will be very, very surprised if all of the bonds pass, but I think the Parks & Rec bond in particular doesn't stand a chance. "

Mike Sigmon, 61, Republican: "Predictions are tough in this environment. These are worth exactly what you’re paying for them.
"Dole retains her seat. I don’t believe Hagan has the necessary name recognition outside of the Triad to unseat an incumbent.
"Quarter-cent tax increase fails due to distrust of County Commissioners."

Ruth Mary Weston, 54, Democrat: "Howard Coble will win by a large, but smaller then usual, margin over Teresa Sue Bratton. He’s a good guy even if you disagree with some of his positions, and we usually keep good guys even when the challenger is a good gal.
"Obama’s the next president by a nose in the popular vote. Exit polling will show a big lead that narrows as the night goes on. Could be the next case of a Supreme Court or House of Representatives appointment.
"I’m betting the 'nothing-passes' exacta on the bonds. People will pick up pennies in the parking lot now, and they used to let the dimes roll away. We’re not in the mood."

Dr. Kim Smith, a professor at N.C. A&T, is leading a course in converged media. His students will be busy Tuesday moblogging the election. The students will use mobile phones, digital cameras and camcorders to capture the sights and sounds of ordinary voters casting ballots in a historic election.

Follow their work here.

From N.C. NAACP President William Barber:

This morning in Craven County, I saw it for myself, just outside a polling place: a casket with Barack Obama's name on it. The NC NAACP has formally requested that both the Democratic and Republican Parties condemn this attempt at voter intimidation using images of death.

[snip]

Here's what I said in the letter to party officials:

I write about a matter of great urgency and seriousness. A casket with a picture of Sen. Barack Obama on it was conspicuously within the sight of voters entering an early voting polling place in Craven County yesterday. State Representative William Wainwright along with local NAACP President Alfred Barfield were alerted to the dangerous situation by their respective constituents, and they were able to convince the Craven County Sheriff to remove the vicious display. The obvious attempt was to use the image of death as a way of demeaning a particular candidate as well as intimidating voters. The casket had been placed near a fire station polling place.

The North Carolina NAACP calls on the state and national leadership of both major parties to denounce such acts. We request your parties issue strong statements of condemnation to the media and to call on your national candidates and their surrogates to repudiate such vicious acts.

There is no room for the suggestion of death threats for any candidate of any party in the United States. We condemn all such acts. North Carolina is the state where the only violent overthrow of an elected government took place in l898, when the bi-racial government of Wilmington was the object of a terrorist attack as a prelude to 70 years of disenfranchisement of African Americans. We will never go back.

Thank you for your immediate attention to our requests.

Sincerely,

Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II

Click here for the WRAL report.

From our friends at the Associated Press:

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) _ Incumbent GOP Sen. Elizabeth Dole continued Saturday to question her campaign rival's attendance at a fundraiser hosted by an adviser to an atheist advocacy group.

Dole's campaign began sending out automated telephone calls that talks about Democratic state Sen. Kay Hagan and the Godless Americans Political Action Committee. Her campaign said 1.3 million calls are planned through Monday.

Hagan has sued Dole her initial television ad about the fundraiser, accussing her of defamation and libel. The initial spot concludes with a picture of Hagan while another woman says, "There is no God." Hagan is an elder at her Presbyterian church and has responded with an ad that strongly declares her Christian faith.

Dole said Saturday she didn't know whether her advertisement had succeeded in its intended purpose, but she defended the widely criticized line of attack.

"There are two issues. One: why did she go? And the second, what does she think about their agenda?" Dole said in an interview. "She's not answering the ... questions."

The automated call asks listeners to "press one" to hear from Hagan. Recipients then hear clips of an interview in which Hagan tries to explain why she attended the event after Dole's campaign had raised questions about the hosts.

The event was not billed as a Godless Americans event, and other hosts included an ambassador and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee.

The News & Record’s Voterspeak panel talks about making good with the losing party.

QUESTION: “The campaigns for president have been rough, especially considering the ads and attacks from both parties. If the candidate you want for president loses, what do you want the winner to do? How can he reach across the aisle? What would he need to do to mend fences and lead this country?"

And Voterspeak says:

Jeff Bartolet, 38, Republican: "I'd like to see whoever wins work toward establishing independent regulation of government-backed financial institutions; i.e., unannounced audits of financials, drastically reduce salary/pension/severance caps for CEO's, limit fringe benefits, etc.
"There also needs to be independent reviews of government research on global warming, medicine, health insurance, bioethics, and immigration. Eliminate the bureaucracy behind the 'expert' panels and let those with expertise in these areas from both sides of the political spectrum speak openly.
"Much more rides on this election than most think. The Democratic party is doing everything they can so they won't have to reach across the aisle, aiming for the filibuster-proof margin in the Senate and buying prime-time to gain control of the executive and legislative branches. If that happens, they will have two years of unfettered power and will probably try to fill the judicial branch with activist judges. If McCain wins, he has proven himself a man who puts country before party, so he will most likely reach across the aisle to work with Democrats to resolve the economic situation while keeping America safe from terrorism."

Phyllis Davis, 64, Republican: "If my candidate of choice for president does not win I would want the opposition to rethink redistribution of wealth. It would be unfair for young people to believe that "big government" will provide for all their needs. Why would young people strive to be a success in life if someone else worked hard and long to succeed for others to share in their wealth. I think that is sending the wrong message to our young citizens. He would need to know the difference between a "privilege" and a "right" as described in our constitution and convey that to the base of voters that elected him. No one should depend on a "hand out" as a way of life. Redirect the ones that are there now and educate the ones that might grow to depend on hand outs in the future."

Kendall Garvin, 29, unaffiliated: "Trying to heal the party lines is something that will be very hard to do in a short period of time. One thing that the winning candidate can do is to remember that he is an individual and not tie EVERYTHING into what the party wants. Another thing is to advocate for compromises to bring the parties together."

Trevor Hamm, 25, Democrat: "If I were running the Republican campaign, I would develop a clear vision about where they wanted to take the country as it relates to the economy, energy policy and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Then I would focus all of their efforts on trumpeting that vision instead of talking about Joe the plumber and continuing to try to come up with things to make people afraid of Obama."

Mike Kelly, 60, Republican: "The campaigns waged by this year’s combatants have been tame relative to, say, that of 1828 in which the morality of Jackson’s wife was questioned, or to the “Daisy Girl” of 1964 or more recently to the “Swiftboating” of Kerry. Obama and McCain have inflicted minor injuries on one another, really. Certainly nothing that cannot be overcome if not completely forgotten.
"I think that the horrendous state of our economy, strangely enough, will serve as a salve to the wounds sustained during the run-up to the election. This may seem counterintuitive, but the fact is we have a hell of lot more to worry about than if some pol had his feelings hurt.
"One talks of mending fences. America has more than just fences that need fixing. The winner must take immediate measures to fix our economy. And in so doing, he will necessarily have to enlist those members of the other party. If the new president cannot sublimate party politics in order to right our floundering economy then he has no hope of leading this country anywhere."

Marlene Costa Nielsen, 67, Democrat: “If John McCain is elected president, I hope that he will find the best foreign policy and economic advisors, regardless of party. I would like for him to work with Congress to allow the Bush tax cuts to expire in 2010 and find a way for present illegal immigrants to become U.S. citizens while securing our borders. We need to become one country again after the long and bitter campaign season."

Kate Peeples, 27, unaffiliated: "If Obama wins the election, I would expect McCain to put to use all of his positive leadership qualities and skills - most of which have had to be shelved during the latter parts of the campaign - to ensure his fellow Republicans' cooperation with the new, Democrat-led government. He has talked all along about his experience "reaching across the aisle," and whether or not we have doubted that record all along, in the event of his defeat, McCain should take the opportunity to continue that kind of leadership.
"Since North Carolina is still considered a battleground state, though, I thought I'd try to look at this question from the other side, too. So, if McCain wins, I think Obama should use the incredible momentum his campaign has built up to keep people involved in the political and governmental machines. Civic responsibility doesn't stop with voting. And even if another Bush Republican does take the oath of office, there will more than likely be a Democrat-led, if not majority, Congress. Usually that means more time wasted as the two sides dig in, but I think Obama is the kind of leader who can discourage people, including elected representatives, from simply blocking the other side's way, and instead encourage cooperation. Naturally, I would expect him to lead by example."

Deonna Kelli Sayed, 34, Democrat: "If Obama (my preferred candidate) isn't elected, I would hope McCain would be McCain again. I'd want him to distance his administration from all the Bush cronies. I'd like to see some of Obama's people in the new administration as an act of bipartisan good faith.
"Certainly, I'd want to see more attention paid to the middle class. McCain's discourse on the average person doesn't go beyond Joe the Plumber I'd really like to see huge diversity in his advisors regarding health care. Personally, I would feel deeply alienated from his administration with Palin as VP. I hope he would clearly define her role to be as minimal as possible."

Ruth Mary Weston, 54, Democrat: "There used to be this thing called sportsmanship. It meant playing by the rules as hard as you could. It meant treating your opponent with the same respect, win or lose. No gloating, no taunting, just a handshake and a look in the eye.
"Sportsmanship keeps you cool-headed so you can analyze the game for strengths and weaknesses. It concentrates your energy for constructive use instead of dissipating it on excessive celebration or depression. And, perhaps most importantly, it prevents making implacable enemies in case you end up on the same team later.
"If each of us chooses sportsmanlike conduct, regardless of who wins, we’ll show our new leader the way to really get together and solve problems we agree on."