Early voting trends toward Democrats

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- More Democrats are taking advantage of early voting before the U.S. Election Day, reversing a pattern that favored Republicans previously, states reported.

State and country officials said figures indicate trending toward Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., over Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was apparent in battleground states of Ohio, North Carolina, Iowa, Nevada and New Mexico, USA Today reported Wednesday. The information was based on election data and interviews.

"This is like a mirror image of what we've seen in the past," Paul Gronke of Reed College's Early Voting Information Center told the newspaper. "This cannot be good news for John McCain. It's the 100-yard dash, and Obama is already 20 yards ahead."

Republicans said they have the edge among absentee voters in Florida but Democrats are voting in greater numbers at early voting polling places, figures indicate. The early voting trend is about even in Colorado.

Election officials cautioned against drawing any conclusions. "We've still got a long ways to go," says Gary Bartlett, director of North Carolina's Board of Elections.

Gronke told USA Today that up to one-third of all voters were expected to vote before Election Day, up from 20 percent in 2004.