Two days before the election in pictures: Photo Essay by Maria Mazhary

Maria Mazhary captured Ashland voters dropping off ballots at the Public Library downtown.

Rose WoodFinch dropping off her ballot at the Ashland Library

Dave Thomas poses for a picture as he drops off his ballot.

Trinity Stewart is excited to drop off her mother's ballot Sunday.

Ballots wait to be picked up and counted Sunday afternoon at the Ashland Library.

Maria Mazhary, who became a naturalized U.S. citizen this summer, votes for the first time.

Technology affords us partcipation

Media aimed at youth are predicting a landslide in the upcoming presidential election, with Obama coming out on top. A teen survey conducted by Channel One shows Obama in the lead with 59 percent of the vote.

According to National Public Radio, “Young people have proven to be an important political force in the 2008 election cycle. Changes in technology are enabling them to get involved in politics in new and interesting ways.” David Colarusso observes, “The Internet is not just a way to raise money or mobilize supporters. It’s a way to shrink the distance between people and politicians. For the first time in history, it’s possible for hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people to have a single conversation.”

Democrats poised to dominant both House and Senate: Magazine predicts

The Economist is predicting that this election may put them in control of both the House and Senate.

“Although most attention is paid to the presidential race, another hefty political battle is rolling on: the congressional race. The Democrats captured Congress in the 2006 elections, as voters turned against George Bush and the Republican Party. Two years have done little to soften their views. The Democrats are poised to turn small majorities in both chambers into dominant ones, perhaps realigning American politics for many years.”

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