[MMM]

If dates matter, this was published Dec 3, 2008, almost a month after the election:

About 130 million Americans voted, up from 122 million four years ago. Still, turnout fell short of the 140 million voters many experts had forecast. With a little more than 61 percent of eligible voters casting ballots, the 2008 results also didn’t match the record 63.8 percent turnout rate that helped propel President John F. Kennedy to victory in 1960.


from the Atlantic.

Wikipedia has it at 129.3 million. Regardless, it's the most ever in US history. It was NOT a close race, which is one reason the numbers are not as high as predicted (140 million) and the Republican candidate was not universally popular among his party, which is another reason the numbers aren't as high as once predicted.

Again, still, the most voters EVER. The most people at the inauguration EVER. Enthusiasm and expectations are high, but so is the mood.