Live Blog from the John Lewis HQ (Blog for Democracy)

Happy Primary Election Day!

I'm here at the HQ for Congressman Lewis's re-election campaign. It's seriously buzzing with activity. The staff hasn't had any sleep for a couple days, what little rest they've gotten has been desks in the HQ.

The day started at 4:00 am, dozens of volunteers arrived to do visibility at the polls and others to staff the office for phone banking at about 9.

Nikema is fielding the calls coming in from the poll watching and adding the vote counts to the big brown paper with the 35 targeted polls. Pictures will be posted shortly. My apologies in advance for not being as good as Nita and Benson at this live blog thingy.

12:30 "Thunder" is in the house...he's here to interview the Congressman in a few minutes. Jeff Romig is also on hand to do some interviews. I will post that as soon as we have it.

2:10 Jeff Romig here from the jammed-packed Lewis campaign headquarters on Nelson Street. Close to 200 blue shirt-adorned volunteers are scattered throughout the 5th District working on getting out the vote, visibility and poll-watching. Lots of dedicated Democrats of all ages continue to work tirelessly for the Congressman. But no one has worked harder than Rep. Lewis, who has bounced from all corners of the district as he works to secure another term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

3:27 to read the latest on Congressman Lewis and watch videos recounting "John Lewis stories" visit the Congressman's newly-launched Web site, www.johnlewisforcongress.com.

4 ish... Juliana here, just got back from a working several street corners ( in a non-hooker kind of way) We held down the corners of North and Spring, Briarcliff and North Druid Hills.. lots of waving and honking for the Congressman. I even got one "I love you baby!" Which I so appreciated cause I was really hot and tired. Fortunately after several hours of street work, Ben arrived with the van to pick us up and to my everlasting gratitude they had a bag of ice cream treats! I was so all over a Good Humor Drumstick.
Back here at the office, it"s more and more phone banking. Melanie is here, Sir. Jesse of Decatur is here too- taking a break from counter protesting the Operation Save American crew.

Didn't see any other campaigns out there.

5:00 p.m. It's astounding to me, as I sit here checking local media for ANY election-day news, that we live in Atlanta in the Internet age, and there are barely any updates. Some good work by Aaron Gould Sheinin at the AJC, but outside of his coverage of the Senate race, there's nothing to be found regarding the 5th District race or the Sheriff's race. I guess the low turnout is contagious.

5:21 p.m. Jeff here to remind you that the polls close at 7 p.m. and if you're reading this and haven't voted yet, you need to pack up your things, head to the polls, cast your ballots and get your scratch-and-sniff Georgia peach "I voted" sticker. OK, so they're not scratch-and-sniff, but if we elect the right people today maybe, just maybe, we can get there. But seriously, GO VOTE!

5:25 p.m. Jeff again. Congressman Lewis just walked into his bustling campaign office for an impending interview with 11 Alive and the energy just jumped a couple of levels with his presence. I can only imagine how many hands have slid in and out of his today. Or how many miles he's covered. Or how many shirts he's gone through. But I'll tell you one thing. This man can work. Not that that should be a surprise to anyone who knows anything about John Lewis.

5:35 Jeff back with you from a table that includes Blog for Democracy's own Melanie Goux and Juliana Illari phone banking with Congressman Lewis and a host of other volunteers. Melanie and Juliana are using their respective cell phones while the Congressman is using a cordless land line. With an hour and 20 minutes left the phone banking is rampant. Lucky is the voter who gets the actual call from John Lewis instead of the recording!

5: 44 Congressman Lewis just spoke to early voter Willie James under the gaze of the 11 Alive lens. "You got it started for me. I will call you long before the next election. Come and see me. Bring your family to Washington. I appreciate your help. I appreciate your vote." Then to NBC's Valerie Hoff he recounted the conversation. He said, "Is it really John Lewis," the Congressman told Hoff. He then filled her in on the postive reaction he'd seen around the 5th District since early this morning. "People said today, I voted for you. I support you." Congressman Lewis again addressed his initial support of Hillary Clinton. "The people in this district they know me," he said of the job he's done on Capitol Hill for 22 years and everything he accomplished before that as a Civil Rights hero and then Atlanta City Councilman. -- Jeff Romig