VOTER INTEREST HIGHER...BUT WILL THAT TRANSLATE INTO HIGHER TURNOUT?

A new Associated Press - Pew Research Center poll shows that many of us are discussing politics at work, church, and home, as the interest of voters are reportedly at it's highest level in more than a decade.

Seventy percent say they are talking politics with family and friends, and 43 percent are debating the issues at work. Among churchgoers, 28 percent share their political views, a number that rises to 34 percent among the congregations in the South.

One respondant, Lakeland operating room nurse Christine Adkinson, was quoted in the CNN story:

"Politics comes up fairly frequently in my workplace...Most of the physicians are Republicans and some of my fellow nurses, we are mainly against the war in Iraq and Afghanistan -- we have quite lively discussions."

However, only 45 percent of Democrats --- and 30 percent of African-Americans --- are very confident that their ballot will be counted.

The poll of 1,804 adults, including 1,503 registered voters, was done September 21 - October 4 by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. The margin of error is +/- three percent.