FIELD REPORT – DEM VOTE DOWN - AT 2:58 P.M. ET:  From The New York Times:

As Election Day moves beyond the midpoint, there seems to be little optimism – or excitement – in the voices of Democrats here. Early field reports for Democrats suggest turnout is falling below expectations in several key areas, including precincts dominated by black voters, the party’s traditionally reliable sector of the electorate.

So the president is weighing in through a last-ditch appeal to supporters across the country, asking them to make telephone calls to Massachusetts voters. For days now, members of Organizing for America have been logging hundreds of thousands of calls. It remains an open question if the long-distance persuasion has had any effect.

“The polls are still open, the choice has not been made, and you still have a crucial role to play by calling voters in Massachusetts,” Mr. Obama said in his e-mail appeal. “In a low-turnout special election like this one, every single voter counts.”

The flood of calls – from candidates and outside interest groups – is contributing to a sense of overload, according to several voter interviews. And here’s another potential worry, which was just passed along by a Democrat.

What if the robust calling effort is turning out voters for Mr. Brown, instead?

Also, from The Politico:

A Democratic operative familiar with the get-out-the-vote push by Martha Coakley's team, and boosted late in the game by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, says that outreach workers in and around Boston have been stunned by the number of Democrats and Obama supporters who are waving them off, saying they'll vote for Scott Brown.

The polls close in five hours.

January 19, 2010