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Turnout heavy in Sandy-ravaged New Jersey, Obama wins
Rediff.com's Paresh Gandhi captures the scene from New Jersey, the state worst hit by Superstorm Sandy, as voters went the extra mile to came out in large numbers to vote for the country's next president.
Barack Obama has won New Jersey's 14 electoral votes, as expected, according to the Associated Press.
There wasn't much of a contest in the state, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 7,00,000 votes.
Voters across New Jersey, who lost their homes, to last week's Superstorm Sandy, went the extra mile to step out and vote.
The turnout was heavy and many voters expressed relief at being able to cast their ballot despite the devastation caused by the megastorm.
Tents replaced polling sites and voting machines were powered by generators as many places still did not have power eight days after Sandy wreaked havoc in the state.
Voting officials promised that the devastation wrought by Sandy wouldn't disrupt Election Day and it did not!
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Turnout heavy in Sandy-ravaged New Jersey, Obama wins
Voters line up at the polling booth in Edison, New Jersey. They braved near freezing temepratures to come out and vote.
Turnout heavy in Sandy-ravaged New Jersey, Obama wins
Voters in New Jersey were allowed to cast a so-called affidavit, or provisional ballot, at any polling place in the state for president and statewide office holders. Provisional ballots are counted after elected officials confirm a voter's eligibility.
Turnout heavy in Sandy-ravaged New Jersey, Obama wins
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's office announced allowing displaced New Jersey residents to vote through email and fax.
But under pressure from voting rights advocates, officials said those voters would have to submit a paper ballot along with the electronic filing.
After an overwhelming response to email voting, the New Jersey secretary of state and Lt Gov Kim Guadagno issued a directive extending the deadlines. Voters who send an email application by 5 pm Tuesday can receive ballots as late as noon on Friday, and by 8 pm Friday, those ballots must email or fax their completed ballots.
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