In mostly blue Seattle, jubilation
Big voter turnout helps boost Obama, transit, levies
By VANESSA HO
P-I REPORTER
As Barack Obama was elected to be the nation's 44th president in an election
watched by the world, much of Seattle reveled in a definitive, jubilant sea of
blue.
But the momentous day ended with a twinge of uncertainty, with the results of a
tight governor's race and a key congressional contest still unknown.
The day began with throngs of voters waiting in the chilly dawn for polls to
open, a reflection of the biggest anticipated voter turnout in 60 years.
By nightfall, some polling places were so overwhelmed with crowds that they
were kept open past 8 p.m., with election workers standing guard at the end of
the lines.
"Woo hoo!" cheered former Mayor Norm Rice after it became clear that Obama
would become the country's first African-American commander-in-chief.
"It's a wonderful, wonderful feeling," he said. "I'm just proud. I'm proud of
America. I'm proud of Seattle, because this just opens so much opportunity. We
just passed another bridge where you are no longer judged by the color of your
skin."
With a trio of tax-raising measures and a chance to decide how terminally ill
patients should die, the magnitude of the election boosted the number of
registered voters statewide to a record 3.5 million people.
Many said the election felt like no other.
"It's a historical event," said Charlie Curvin, who voted for Obama at the
Labor Temple in Seattle.
"This is fantastic, and I'm so proud to be a part of it."
On Capitol Hill, a neighborhood flecked with Obama signs, Brian Smith
appreciated the weight of the election.
"It's huge. It's thrilling," said Smith, 26, after voting at the Harvard Court
apartments.
"Beyond feeling that in this moment of time -- with the economic and
international situation -- there's the opportunity to elect someone like Barack
Obama, the nation is about to cross all boundaries" of race, he said.
Such boundaries were already crossed at White Center Heights Elementary School,
where Colombians, Vietnamese, Russians, Mexicans, Cambodians and women in
burkas with wide-eyed children packed the polling station.
Four first-time voters beamed as they showed off their registration cards.
A man passed by and flashed his card. "Me, too," he said.
In Fremont, Democratic Party worker Tom McDonald walked the sidewalks with an
enormous portrait of Obama. His wife, Meredith, wore a homemade T-shirt that
said, "Hope kicks fear's ass."
"This is the first time either of us has done anything at this level," said Tom
McDonald, director of operations at a software company.
But a sweeping Democratic victory was far from certain.
Early returns showed Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire and Republican challenger
Dino Rossi in a neck-in-neck race, with Rossi slightly ahead, owing to the
heavy influence of rural counties in early counts.
In the 8th Congressional District race, Democrat Darcy Burner took the early
lead against Republican Rep. Dave Reichert, who won by just 3 percentage points
in their last face-off two years ago.
Seattle voters appeared willing to approve three tax-raising measures on the
ballot despite the grim economy.
Early counts showed all three measures in the lead: a $22.8 billion initiative
to expand Sound Transit's light rail; a $73 million levy to improve Pike Place
Market; and a $145 million levy to buy new parks in Seattle and fix up old ones.
Karen Sebastian, 43, said she supported all three measures, despite the economy.
"I think we need to support the efforts to deal with our challenges," she said,
pushing her daughter in a stroller on Capitol Hill.
As more states fell to Obama throughout the evening, not everyone in Seattle
cheered.
With her giant McCain-Palin button, 58-year-old Susan Myers was a speck of red
in her voting station's ocean of blue, which happened to be in the Green Lake
area.
"I see Obama as a socialist, a real threat," Myers said. Sure, he's charismatic
and inspires young people, she said. "But so did Hitler."
P-I reporter Vanessa Ho can be reached at 206-448-8003. P-I reporters Kery
Murakami, Jon Naito, Robert McClure, Tom Paulson, Carol Smith, Andrew Schneider
and Daniel Lathrop contributed to this report.
