I was very glad to see your post not only because of its substance but because I was about to post something along similar lines based on less up to date and less detailed information.
That I saw your post has quite likely saved me from making a fool of myself.
Irrespective, that Obama continues to increase his lead both in terms of raw number of votes and as a percentage as more votes continue to come in is not only encouraging, but is worth thinking about, and worth keeping in mind for future elections.
It was not just Obama whose numbers have in creased with late counted votes.
At one point there were eight undecided congressional races. Democrats lead in 7, and the Republican lead in 1. The Democrats finished by winning all 8, and generally increasing the margins in the races in which they had lead. Democrats seem to do better with late counted votes.
Why, and what does this mean?
A large part of it has to be absentee votes. Frequently absentee voters are better informed, and usually somewhat more exposed to more than the mainstream media, so it makes sense that these votes (including, and contrary to Republican assumptions, military absentee votes) to break Democratic.
Therefore,
(1) in close elections future, take heart, the trends are in our favor.
(2) although early voting has clearly helped Democrats, and appropriately so, there is also something to be said for traditional voting simply so that the early numbers will not be so skewed toward the Republicans--think those early numbers don't have an influence on called races? I think that they do.
Again, thank-you for your post.