Twitter, the popular microblogging service that many had written off 'as good as gone' earlier this year (due to numerous overload and downtime problems) is now up and running smoothly, growing rapidly, gaining widespread acceptance, as well as crossing numerous demographic lines.
We previously noted the adoption of Twitter by CNN's Rick Sanchez for his live TV program. A large audience found Twitter as CNN used it regularly for user interaction. (CNN was quickly followed by numerous other news and media outlets). According to this 'room' on Friendfeed, there are now more than 20 CNN reporters, producers, and other CNN employees posting updates and comments to Twitter.
Of course, the US elections didn't hurt Twitter's growth (and ability to prove that 'the system' was now stable) , with thousands of people posting their views to Twitter over the past month after Twitter launched their own Election 2008 'tweet' real-time commenting platform.
Friendfeed saw some action as well, as people posted cellphone photos of lines they were standing on.
Another independent team announced an extensive Election 2008 website using the Twitter API to bring together a large group of election watchers, various organizations and websites and will be monitoring voter 'tweets' throughout the day.
Twitter Vote Report is a non-partisan, all-volunteer network aimed not only at highlighting voting 'problems' but good voting experiences as well, in an all-new graphical format.
...it's updating in nanoseconds with all kinds of comments as of this post ...
Numerous partners include Zetetic, Womens Voice Women Vote, Women Donors Network, Why Tuesday, David Troy's Twittervision, StopPoliticalCalls.org, Plodt.com, Student PIRG's New Voters Project, Ohio Telecom, The League of Young Voters, Credo Mobile, NPR, Current.tv , TechPresident, GeoCommons, and many more.
Perhaps the most significant news from Twitter amidst this 'sea of economic downturn news' was that Twitter is hiring.
In addition, LinkedIn.com has now launched a Twitter app, and on Wednesday morning, Twitter board member Bijan Sabet will be hosting a 'Tweet Up' at the Andala Coffee House in Cambridge, MA from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, to "discuss Twitter as a consumer communication utility as well as a utility for applications and services".
Along with an unprecedented number of polls, blogs and websites reporting on the election today, you may want to check out some of the ongoing twitter interation and TwitterVoteResport.com.
Update: Thanks to Robert Scoble for pointing out that the real-time beta Friendfeed feed is also hoppin' with comments !!
edited for content cba November 4 PM Election Day 2008