Election night snapshots

Underdog optimism:

Even though Republicans greatly outnumber Democrats in Carroll County, the county's underdogs maintained a buoyant attitude as they gathered to watch the early returns at Johanssons Dining House in Westminster on Tuesday night.

"I was so impressed by the Democratic Party in Carroll County," said Anita Riley, an Eldersburg resident and president of the South Carroll Democratic Club. "It's an uphill battle for Democrats in Carroll County. ... But they have their act together. There's so much cohesion. Even if we lose, we kind of won. We put on a great effort."

Casting a quick glance at the television as results were being broadcast, she added, "I'm just hoping for the best."

Other Democrats milling around the restaurant said they also saw more Kerry/Edwards signs and stickers than ever. Four thousand Democrats have registered in Carroll since the 2000 election.

Global thinking:

Chris Howe voted at Winfield Elementary School after work and then went to Johanssons with his wife, Cindy, on what he called a "critical night" in history. As he watched returns come in, he said he felt good but would "feel a lot better when Kerry hits 270."

Howe said the issues that drove people to the polls were the economy, the war and America's place in the world.

"You know, Ben Franklin was quoted as saying, `If we don't hang together, we'll hang separately,'" he said. "I think Kerry will bring back that alliance."

Family outing:

Wearing a sweater with an American flag design, Debbie Boog-Sherman of Hampstead also came to Johanssons with her three daughters for the late-night election gathering.

"I wanted to just be around other like-minded people," she said. "We are a very political family, and we talk all about this at home."

Although she was the only one of Boog-Sherman's daughters too young to vote, 17-year-old Sarah formed her own opinion after watching two presidential debates. She said young people should pay attention and get involved.

"Kerry has better ideas, and his ideas are based on peace instead of spreading fear around, like Bush," she said.

Bigger voter turnout doesn't mean America wants a change:

Watching television commentary prior to the election, Carroll County Commissioner Dean L. Minnich said that he was sure the potentially record-breaking voter turnout was sending a message, but not the one pundits advocated.

"There's such a polarization in our country," said Minnich, who sipped drinks with about 100 other county Republicans at the Time Out Sports Grille at Westminster's TownMall. "A lot of people registered to vote to make sure there wasn't a change."

Republicans don't take lead for granted:

Even though there are nearly 53,000 registered Republicans in Carroll County compared with nearly 34,000 Democrats, state delegate Tanya Shewell was not going to rest on those laurels. The energetic co-chairwoman of the county's Bush/Cheney campaign said the party gained 2,000 registered voters through a four-month, full-court press from volunteers who went door to door, called lapsed Republicans and distributed brochures.

The group's efforts succeeded in boosting the percentage of Bush backers in Carroll to 70 percent, up from 65 percent in the previous presidential election.

"Every county was given a goal to get a higher percentage to overcome the urban areas," Shewell said. "Things are looking better than we thought."

Extra security:

Responding to heightened tension surrounding the closest presidential race in recent history, Carroll police officers patrolled county polling places for the first time during Tuesday's election. Sheriff's deputies and municipal officers were scattered throughout the county's 28 polling places.

Sun staffer Ellie Baublitz contributed to this article.