Sea Of Early N.O. Voters Dries Up- Only 1,100 Ballots Cast
by Michelle Krupa - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

A month ago, Orleans Parish Registrar of Voters Sandra Wilson could look out the door of her City Hall office to find a seemingly endless line of citizens waiting patiently -- some for hours -- to vote early in the Nov. 4 election.

In all, about 13,000 voters showed up early to cast ballots that featured the historic presidential race between Barack Obama and John McCain, along with a slew of local contests, including the race for Orleans Parish district attorney.

How times have changed.

The rare December ballot features just two races in New Orleans. The 2nd Congressional District general election pits nine-term incumbent Rep. William Jefferson, a Democrat, against Republican Anh "Joseph" Cao, Green Party candidate Malik Rahim and Libertarian Gregory Kahn. The district covers nearly all of New Orleans, as well as parts of Jefferson Parish.

Meanwhile, a special election in the state Senate's 3rd District matches state Rep. J.P. Morrell and businessman Shawn Barney, both New Orleans Democrats. The district stretches from Lake Pontchartrain through Gentilly to the French Quarter and also includes Algiers Point and some other sections of Jefferson Parish's West Bank.