Blogging for Max

1:50 a.m. - Well, we’re going to bed for the night. As of right now, Barrow has a 3,146 vote lead on Burns with 95% of precincts reported, but it is FAR FROM OVER. To the best of our knowledge, it will be days, weeks or possibly longer before this race is decided. There’s a huge mess with nine precincts in Effingham County and a few precincts across the district are still unaccounted for. There is also a good chance that there will be a recount. What happens next? We have no idea. But Blogging for Max will continue to bring you every possible bit of information we can until this thing is finally decided.

12:19 a.m. - They’re closing up shop for the night and we’re packing it up. It’s too close to call and we won’t know about Effingham until the morning. It looks like we’re going into extra innings and we’ll have complete coverage as soon as we know what’s going on.

12:16 a.m. - Some more numbers are showing on the SoS site from Richmond County. They’re showing 93% of precincts reporting with Burns down to 48.65% and Barrow up to 51.35%. If true, Burns is now down 3,552 votes. But there’s so much confusion and legal technicalities that we can’t confirm that. As of now we’re hearing Burns is trailing between 800 and 3500 votes. There’s still one precinct from Richmond County showns as outstanding, a few others from a handful of counties, and the mess in Effingham County. We’ve heard that the votes have been sealed and lawyers from all sides are meeting with law enforcement officials in Effingham to work on the situation.

12:04 a.m. - We’re holding tight at the Victory Celebration, still unsure of what’s going on in Effingham County. It’s looking like we probably won’t know anything tonight. On a side note, we want to wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Max Burns! We were hoping to get him a birthday present in the form of a win, and we still probably will, but it possibly will not come until tomorrow. We’ll let you know about the Effingham situation as soon as we have more.

11:24 p.m. - Right now there’s a confirmed report that the ballots in Effingham County have been “sealed” due to a malfunction with the vote-counting machines. Lawyers from Savannah are en route to work on the problem, but it may a be a while before we have anything from Effingham. Stay tuned.

11:19 p.m. - We’re hearing that Effingham County is having computer problems and that Burns is now unofficially withing 977 votes of Barrow.

11:11 p.m. - Burns just addressed supporters gathered here in Statesboro. He told the crowd that the numbers are inside of a point and come down to nine precincts in Effingham County. This is going to be a nail-biter to the bitter end.

11:04 p.m. - UPDATE: 92% of precincts are in: Barrow holds 50.5% of the vote to Burns’ 49.5%. Barrow holds a very slim 1,277 vote lead. This thing really comes down to Effingham and a recount is looking like a possibility.

10:59 p.m. - All of Screven County is now in: Burns won 2319-1579. That bumps Burns’ total percentage to 48.78%. Barrow is now at 51.22%.

10:54 p.m. - The numbers have hit a lull. We have 86% reporting, with Barrow at 56,342 votes (51.25%) and Burns at 53,598 votes (48.75%). We’re still waiting on precincts in Toombs, Effingham, Bulloch, Richmond, Screven and a few others.

10:35 p.m. - All of Chatham and most of Richmond are in: Barrow has won 64% and 65% respectively. Richmond has 36 of 44 precincts reporting and Chatham shows all 73.

10:24 p.m. - The official results are holding steady at 74% reporting: Barrow is up 51.15% to 48.85% for Burns.

10:19 p.m. - With 67 out of 73 precincts in from Chatham County: Barrow leads the county total 16,228 to 9,071.

10:09 p.m. - New totals. With 70% of precincts official reporting: Burns 49.1 %, Barrow 50.9%.

10:02 p.m. - All of Screven, Treutlen and Montgomery are in: 2319-1579 Burns, 753-715 Burns and 1247-802 Burns respectively.

9:56 p.m. - With eight of 14 precincts from Burns’ home base of Screven County in: Burns 877 votes, Barrow 605 votes.

9:49 p.m. - The SoS site has 60% of precincts reporting and Burns holds an 86 vote lead (50.05%) out of a total of 66,718 votes.

9:47 p.m. - Our source is telling us that, with 59% of precincts reporting, Burns has 52.1% to Barrow’s 47.9 %.

9:41 p.m. - The new numbers include crushing wins for Burns in Jenkins and Glascock Counties, carrying 60.23% and 58.13% respectively.

9:34 p.m. - We have just heard that, with 56% of the vote reported, Burns has 53% to Barrow’s 47%.

9:30 p.m. - More from Richmond County: Barrow has 55.57% of the vote with 28 of 75 precincts reporting. Burns has 3419 votes (44.25%).

9:27 p.m. - The official Augusta Elections site is reporting that, with 28 of 75 precincts reporting in Richmond County, the votes there are: 4294 Barrow, 3419 Burns.

9:24 p.m. - We’re hearing that with 49% reporting, Burns has won 52.47% of the vote to Barrow’s 47.53%.

9:22 p.m. - With all 17 precincts from Burke County reporting, Burns has won by exactly 100 votes. A total of 2188 voted.

9:13 p.m. - We’re hearing that, with 45% of precincts reporting, Burns is at 53%, Barrow at 47%.

9:07 p.m. - Four more precincts from Bulloch County: Burns 3074, Barrow 1604. With 35% reporting, Burns is at 51.52% and Barrow is at 48.48%.

9:03 p.m. - With six more precincts from Chatham County: Burns has 1877 votes to Barrow’s 3237. New totals: 25694 votes (29%), Burns 12,952 (50.41%), Barrow 12,742 (49.59).

8:59 p.m. - Seven of seven from Jenkins County, Burns 1141 votes, Barrow 822 votes. In Baldwin County, nine of 15 precincts are in and Burns took 918 votes to Barrow’s 1434. More from Warren County, with seven of eight in, 768-669 Barrow.

8:52 p.m. - More from Chatham County: with 18 of 73 precincts reporting, Burns has 1606 votes, Barrow has 2339 votes. From Evans County: four of 12 in, 616-342 Burns. Totals: 26% of precincts reporting, Burns 52.45%, Barrow 47.55%.

8:44 p.m. - More numbers:.Washington County, four of 10 reporting: Burns 675, Barrow 622. With reports from five of nine precincts from Johnson County, 557-316 Burns. With six of eight precincts in Warren reporting: Burns 425, Barrow 382. New totals: 78 of 349 precincts in, 54.57 % Burns, 45.43% Barrow.

8:38 p.m. - BIG ONE for Burns. With four of 18 precincts in from Bulloch County: Burns 2016 votes, Barrow 948 votes. New totals: 18% of precincts in, Burns 54.3%, Barrow 45.7%.

8:32 p.m. - New numbers from Glascock County: with five of six precincts in, Burns 324, Barrow 85. From Chatham, with seven of 73 precincts reporting, Burns 345, Barrow 320. New totals: with 6320 votes and 49 of 349 precincts reporting, Burns has 52.02% of the vote, Barrow is at 48.98%

8:24 p.m. - New reports. From Burke County: 17 out of 17 precincts reporting, Burns 414 votes, Barrow 335 votes. With three of eight precincts from Treutlen: Burns 153 votes, Barrow 90 votes. With three of four precincts from Taliaferro: Burns 169 votes, Barrow 311 votes. Totals: 5210 votes - Burns 50.12%, Barrow 49.88%.

8:16 p.m. - An update from Jenkins County: with five of seven precincts reporting, Burns 711 votes, Barrow 597 votes. From Baldwin County: with 5 of 15 precincts reporting, Burns 297, Barrow 694. The new totals are 3738 votes, Burns 50.16%, Barrow 49.84%.

8:11 p.m. - Report from a precinct Johnson County: Burns 167 votes, Barrow 94 votes.

8:03 p.m. - Two new counties with precincts reporting: Jenkins County is dead even with 380 votes a piece for Burns and Barrow; in Candler County, Burns picked up 509 votes while Barrow grabbed 272. Totals: 2219 votes, Burns 1247 (56.2%), Barrow 972 (43.8%).

7:57 p.m. - Precinct report from Glascock County. Out of 54 total votes, 39 for Burns, 15 for Barrow.

7:50 p.m. - We’ve got reports from precincts in Oconee and Riddleville. Votes: in Riddleville, Burns 146, Barrow 105; in Oconee, Burns 93, Barrow 130.

7:42 p.m. - The first numbers for the 12th are showing up on the SoS site. It still shows 0% reporting and only 624 votes from Washington County, Max Burns is up 51.1% to 48.9%.

7:38 p.m. - People are beginning to file in here at Victory HQ. Cash bar and refreshments. Entry is free, so if you’re in the Statesboro area and support Max Burns, swing on by. We’re starting to see numbers on the Secretary of State site, but it’s still WAY TOO EARLY and there’s nothing on the 12th. On a side note, the campaign staff is in good spirits and the mood here is tense but upbeat.

7:15 p.m. - We are at the Max Burns “Victory Celebration 2006” in Statesboro and are ready to LIVE-BLOG. Blogging for Max will have ALL of the news and information from the 12th District race between former Congressman Max Burns (R) and Rep. John Barrow (D) as it happens, in REAL-TIME. The polls have JUST closed, the event is about to kick-off, and we’re ready to bring you LIVE information as we get it. We are your only source for UP-TO-THE-MINUTE coverage of the FINALE to this heated race - so keep your browser REFRESHED and stay logged-on to www.bloggingformax.com through the night until a winner is called. We will be here till the end, bringing you live election results, interviews, quotes, photos and other news/thoughts/observations. Spend your Election Night 2006 with Blogging for Max!