James writes:

> Due to an anticipated voter turnout much larger than originally
>  anticipated, the polling facilities may not be able to handle
>  the load all at once.

All jokes aside, this has been one odd campaign if you happen to live in one
of the toss-up states, as we do here in southern New Mexico. Our votes are so
sought after that we've almost gotten to know the candidates on a first name
basis.

Even better, because Texas is considered completely locked up -- and because
we get all of our television wholly from El Paso -- neither party is buying
advertising time on the El Paso television stations. Where many markets are
getting more than a thousand political advertisements a day broadcast in
their areas, we're essentially getting none at all. You'd almost never know
the elections were going on.

Rather what we're getting are the candidates themselves. Bush & Cheney were
here together about a month ago and held an all-afternoon, large rally in the
plaza in Old Mesilla, staying the night and eating with a local family. And
now Al Gore was here just two nights ago and held an even larger rally at the
sports complex, aimed primarily at Hispanic voters, accompanied by Carlos
Santana and Jimmy Smits.

And just tonight, Dick Cheney returned. His jet made its turn on final
approach to land at Las Cruces International Airport just a thousand feet
over our house. Joe Lieberman still has two days to make it here to provide a
proper sense of balance.

All of this is a little odd, of course, for such a small town out in the
middle of nowhere to be getting such attention from the national candidates,
but it is the direct result of the electoral college. States that are "locked
up", one way or the other, aren't getting all that much attention, and
because of that, you get a sense of jealousy from the news anchors on the El
Paso stations. El Paso is a town twelve times larger than Las Cruces, but
they just happen to be in the wrong state, thus the candidates hold five
minute news conferences on the runway, just before they race up the road to
Las Cruces.

As I say, this has been one odd election this time around. None of this
attention has changed my mind about for whom I'm going to vote, but it has
been very pleasant.

Wirt Atmar