(2003-12-11) -- In November 2004, Election Day will actually last two days thanks to yesterday's Supreme Court decision upholding the ban on so-called 'soft money' contributions to political parties.

Overnight polling shows that voter confidence in the electoral process has skyrocketed since the Court affirmed the major elements of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (often called McCain-Feingold).

"Now that the pernicious influence of wealthy donors has been removed from the process, I plan to vote for the first time in my life," said an unnamed 45-year-old New York resident. His remark echoed the survey results.

Indeed party officials expect voter registration rolls to swell exponentially before next November, and voter turnout to rival the most recent elections in Cuba and Iraq. That's why they've extended the balloting for a second full day.

"Finally, we have a representative democracy in its purest form," said Democrat National Committee chair Terry McAuliffe. "Now, George Soros and Joe Sixpack stand on level ground at the ballot box."

A spokesman for MoveOn.org (which is not a political party) agreed with Mr. McAuliffe.