First day of early voting sees hours-long lines, down machines across Georgia
Some voters faced up to five-hour wait times as early in-person voting kicked off Monday across Georgia.
Hours-long delays and down voting machines were among the issues reported as voters lined up to cast their ballots ahead of what congressional candidate Carolyn Bordeaux has called one of “the most consequential elections of our lifetimes.”
“The turnout is incredible, and we need to keep this momentum going,” Bordeaux, a Democrat running to represent Georgia’s 7th Congressional District, said in a video message outside George Pierce Park in Gwinnett County as a line of voters snaked the sidewalk behind her. “We need to make sure that every voice is heard and every vote is counted.”
Similar scenes were recorded across the Peach State from the metro-Atlanta suburbs and midtown to south of the city in Macon and Americus, where voters were reportedly forced to fill out paper ballots due to broken machines.
McClatchy News reached out to the Sumter County elections office and is awaiting response.
Delays were reported in Columbus, where nearly 500 voters lined up at the city’s only voting location before noon, the Ledger Enquirer reported. Neresia Johnson, 65, was among the local voters ready to spend a good chunk of her day in line.
“We stand in line for everything,” she told the newspaper, “so why not stand in line to vote, when it’s so important?”
Anticipating the long lines, Columbus resident Marvin Broadwater Sr. arrived at the Citizens Service Center three hours before doors opened at 7 a.m., WRBL reported. He was the first one there.
“I believe that voting is the greatest honor and privilege that one has,” Broadwater told the news station. “I go back to the Civil Rights movement. You can talk about the walk from Selma to Montgomery. If those folks could do that, I can at least come out here and sit two or three hours and wait to vote.”
Wait times were slightly longer for voters in Cobb County, near Atlanta, where residents were urged to “pack their patience,” as some advance voting locations reported wait times of up to five hours.
“This is ridiculous,” one woman wrote on the county government’s Facebook page. “I’ve been in line for 2.5hrs probably still have another hr left and the people who have casted their vote come out saying not all machines are being used.”
Lengthy lines were also reported at polling sites in southern and eastern parts of the county.
Georgia’s largest early voting site is in the heart of Atlanta at State Farm Arena this year, where 300 voting machines were waiting for voters. However, Fulton County officials said a “technical glitch” with the poll pads used to check-in voters caused a brief delay, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting.
There were also a few broken machines.
Reacting to the reported delays, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office told 11 Alive unprecedented turnout was expected on the first day of in-person voting.
“Georgia is seeing record turnout for early voting because of excitement and enthusiasm of the upcoming election,” Raffensperger’s office said, according to the station. “Long lines are to be expected — voters need to be aware of all of their options including three weeks of early voting, no-excuse absentee and in-person voting day of the election.”
Early voting runs until Friday, Oct. 30. The General Election takes place Nov. 3
This story was originally published October 12, 2020 at 1:12 PM with the headline "First day of early voting sees hours-long lines, down machines across Georgia."