Gore Gets Late Bounce in Polls

WASHINGTON, NOVEMBER 7—Admid reports of heavier than expected turnout at the polls today, the major surveys of public opinion show Republican George W. Bush's lead shrinking after Democrat Al Gore's late barnstorming.

Two polls actually give Gore the lead. Zogby pegs him at 48 percent of the vote to Bush's 46 and Nader's 5. A CBS News poll taps Gore at 45 and Bush at 44, but notes that 5 percent of undecided voters say they won't make up their minds until sometime today.

In other tallies, Gore still trails. Voter.com shows Bush in the lead with 50 percent, followed by Gore at 45 and Nader's 3.5. The site says Bush will cruise to victory in the popular vote with the overwhelming support of men (who favor him by 13 points) and married voters (who back Shrub by 15 points).

Voter.com says Gore has a margin of only two points among women, though he has captured the support of unmarried people to the tune of 24 points. That's a hefty lead, but not enough to make up for the hits he's taking in other demographic categories.

The Oregonian shows Gore edging ahead of Bush by a single point, 45 to 44, in that crucial swing state. Green candidate Ralph Nader continues to do well in the Pacific Northwest, holding on to 6 percent of the vote while Reform candidate Pat Buchanan has two.

In other polls around the nation, Bush generally has slim leads. The Washington Post gives him an edge of 48 to 45. Rasmussen has him at 48 to 41. The CNN/USA Today/Gallup survey shows Bush with a lead of 47 to 45. And ABC chalks the Texas governor up at 48 to 45.

It's not yet clear how the heavy voting will affect the outcome. There were reports of long queues in Philadelphia and the New Jersey suburbs. In some places, voters were lining up as early as 6:30 a.m.