Dan Walters, veteran politics and government columnist for the Sacramento Bee, predicts a record low turnout for a general election in California next month. He writes, “A couple of dozen legislative and congressional races pitting members of the same party against one another may also dampen turnout.”

He did not say anything about the effect on turnout of a system that has left California as one of only six states this year with only Democrats and Republicans on the ballot for the top office on the ballot, but that probably is another factor in lowering turnout. Thanks to AroundtheCapital for the link.

On October 20, Public Policy Polling released a North Carolina U.S. Senate poll. The results: Democratic incumbent Kay Hagan 46%; Republican Richard Tillis 43%; Libertarian Sean Haugh 5%; undecided 7%. The poll includes a question for the Haugh voters, which shows that he draws almost equally between people who (if they were to vote in a two-candidate race) would vote Democratic or Republican. Thanks to PoliticalWire for the link.

On October 15, the University of Delaware was the location for a debate for Delaware’s U.S. House seat. Four candidates are on the ballot: Democratic incumbent John Carney; Republican Rose Izzo; Libertarian Scott Gesty; and Green Party nominee Bernard August. Two weeks before the event, Republican nominee Izzo said she would not attend. Nevertheless, the debate sponsors refused to invite the Green and Libertarian, and went ahead with only Carney in attendance. See this story.