MS-NBC’s First Read provides the Chuckle of the Day.  They claim that the nation had a record-breaking turnout despite the returns showing a lower voter turnout than 2004:

*** Highest turnout rate since ’08 — 1908: Provided the number stands, the turnout rate for yesterday’s election was the highest in 100 years, according to the estimate from turnout guru Dr. Michael McDonald at George Mason University. Almost 137 million (136,631,825) went to the polls — 64.1% of the voting-eligible population. 1960 saw 63.7% of the populace go out to vote; In 1908, 65.7% voted. It was, of course, the most people ever to go to the polls topping 2004’s 122 million. That’s 12% increase from 2004. For those wondering why the current total vote in the presidential adds up to approximately 117 million, note that it’s going to climb. There is still a ton of vote missing on the West coast.

Apparently, no one at MS-NBC can do math.  “A ton of vote missing on the West coast”?  There would have to be 20 million votes missing in order to get from 117 million to 137 million.  California has reported 95% of its precincts and counted almost 10 million votes.  At best, they’ll get another 500K or so.

Maybe Dr. McDonald got his data from ACORN.

Update: Readers ask about absentee ballots in California as a potential source for new votes, but for those to qualify, they have to be received by the time the polls close on Election Day.  They’re added to the rest of the ballots in the precinct (and checked against the rolls), and presumably counted with the rest of the ballots.