The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-11-07
War Workers
 Jam Polls
Continued from Page l,

cedented vote.
 Tn San Francisco, approximately 40, ,OO0- approximately 10 per cent of the registered voters-cast their bal- lots the first hour.
 The Maryland vote was very heavy and ahead of 104O.
 In Oregon, observers believed the vote would exceed that of 1940 des- pite 10000 fewer registrations.
 A record number of women's votes was piling up in Buffalo, N. r., and surrounding Erie County. Voting enthusiasm was reported high in North Carolina, Georgia and other southern states despite the fact that MT. Roosevelt generally was conceded the solid south. Lines of voters awaited the opening of the polls in Atlanta, Nashville, Bir- mingham and New Orleans.
 111th Voter
 First of the election day princi- pals to vote was Governor John w. Bricker of Ohio, the Republican vice presidential nominee. He be- came the 111th voter to receive a ballot in his Columbus, O., precinct.
 Although the rural voting gen. erally was slow in gaining momen- tum, there were some exceptions. Fifteen per cent of the registered voters made their choices in the rur- al communities of New York's Suf- folk County by 10 a. m. (EWT.)
 Most states expected to vote to be less than in 1940, due to the ab- sence of men in the armed forces. but wartime industrial shifts may increase the size of the vote in some localities.
 r Rain was reported or predicted in Colorado, Utah, Kansas and Texas although it was not expected to have much influence on the voting trend.
 Early voting also was reported extremely heavy in highly induds- tr1alized Detroit. In western Penn sylvania, some polling places were p1ling up votes at rate of "one a minute"
 Throughout the country, citizens were exercising their secret ballot rights in 140,498 voting precincts.  Rigid Test
 It is rare and rigid test of our democracy. The men and women of the armed services have been vot- ing for weeks and most of their ballots are sealed now waiting for the polls to be closed before being tallied.
 Poll takers foresee the closest presidential contest since 1916 when Charles Evans Hughes, Republican, lost b va whisker to Woodrow Will son, Democrat. A score of states are listed as close or doubtful. The ab- sentee service vote may be decisive in any of them, including big New York and Pennsylvania. The win- ner needs at least 266 of the 531 electoral votes.
 National Democratic Chairman Robert Ed Hannegan predicted that MT. Roosevelt would do better than he did in 1940 when he carried 38 states. Herbert Brownell, Jr., 11a- tional Republican chairman, said not only that Gov. Dewey would be elected, but that Republicans would not "concede single state, outside the solid south"
 State laws already have assured that the service vote will be de- layed in Il states. In any photo finish election this year the winner conceivably might not be known until the last of the late-tally states have been reported. The last is North Dakota which makes its final service ballot count on Dec. T.
 Of1cials estimate that 4,894, 4,225 service ballots ere distributed and that 2,856,993 will be returned for counting. New York already was announced that 411,128 service ball. lots had been received by the statu- utory state deadline which was yes- terdayterday noon. In many states, icluding New York, the potential soldier vote exceeds the number by which MT. Roosevelt led the late Wendell L. Willkie in 1940.
 Relayed Count
 States in which the service ballot count will be delayed for various lengths of time are California, Col orado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsyl- vania, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington. They aggregate 123 electoral votes.
 In addition to the presidency and vice presidency, this election will choose 432 members of the House of Representatives, 36 United States Senators, 31 Governors and literally thousands of lesser officials. One of the 36 senate seats is for mean ingleSS tWo-month term which eX- pires with the present 18th Congress on January 3, next, Maine elected its three members of the house-au Re- publicanS-and Republican gover- nor last September. There was no 1914 senatorial election in Maine.
 The campaign finally ended last night shortly before midnight with both presidential candidates on the radio in last minute appeals, which primarily were for all eligible citizens to get to the polls today. Dewey is voting in New York City. President Roosevelt will vote in Hyde Park. Dictate Policies The President to be elected today and the new 79th Congress will de- termine domestic and foreign poli- cis for the next two years when there will be another election--thiS time with congressional seats the only federal jobs at stake. Democrats have nominal control of both senate and house as the ballots are cast today. But, actually, an anti-New Deal coalition of Re- publicans and Democrats has been dominant on Capitol Hill for the past two years-and occasionally be- fore that. Here are the standings as of today:
 Senate-Democrats 58; Republi- cans 37; Prfgressives 1.
 House--Democrats PA; Republi- cans 221; Progressives 2; Farmer