Lower Voter Turnout in 2012 compared to 2008?

I went to my local polling station for my precinct, and while waiting in line I got into a conversation with one of the workers who had also worked the 2008 election. She stated that the turn out so far is drastically lower for 2012 as opposed to how it was in 2008.

She said in 2008 people were waiting in line to cast their vote before they even opened up the station, but this year there was nobody waiting. She also said that in 2008 the amount of voters that showed up throughout the day kept the average wait to vote around 45minutes to an hour. Today I was in and out within about 15-20 minutes and that includes the time it took me to fill out my ballot and then fight with the machine to accept it.

I am not sure which party is not showing up, or if it is just a complete lack of interest all around. Could be that the hype of the 2008 elections was far greater and more interesting than this time around. Not sure what to make of it, but when you go out today to cast your vote ask the polling workers their input and see if it is just my area, or if it is more widespread than that.

Guess it all depends on where you are located. I know NYC lines are long even with the fallout from Sandy. In parts of PA it seems to be long lines as well.

I was at my polling station at 8am and it was lined out the door. I drove past a couple other polling stations on my way into work and the parking lots were full with lines outside. I guess it depends on locations.