By Dara Kerr/WEST OAKLAND

Residents of West Oakland seemed excited and nervous about the election today. “There is a buzz in the air, a spirit of anticipation,” said Lisa Rayson, precinct inspector at the West Oakland Public Library.

American flags waved in front of churches, fire stations, schools and community centers, indicating that they were polling stations.

Overall, most West Oakland residents seemed to be supporting Senator Barack Obama. In front of a polling station on 32nd and Union streets, a teen walked by and yelled to the people waiting to vote, “Obama or die.”

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By Elise Craig/BERKELEY At the Ashby BART station, campaign workers are having a tough time finding people who haven’t already voted.
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by Nick Burns/WEST BERKELEY

Local democratic campaign volunteers worked furiously into the night preparing for tomorrow’s historic election. Armed with cell phones, area residents manned tables at Berkeley’s United Democratic Campaign office to encourage voters to cast their ballots. Children of volunteers also participated in phone banking efforts, leaving messages pleading for residents to reelect Mayor Tom Bates and vote against Proposition 8, which seeks to ban gay marriage by amending the state constitution.

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