Voters eagerly showed up in large numbers for yesterday’s General Election, enduring hours-long waits at some voting stations, media report.
In Connecticut, voter turnout was “off the charts,” the Wall Street Journal reported, quoting an election official.
In crucial swing state Ohio, WKBN-27 television reported long lines. In more urban areas, voters had to wait for about half an hour. For both the presidential and the senate races, Ohio was considered a tight race.
In Florida, another battleground state, some counties experienced waiting times of almost 4 hours, according to WFTV. At some precincts in Orlando, there were issues with voting machines, making voters wait for hours in the heat.
Many residents in communities that were severely impacted by Hurricane Sandy gave their civic duty a high priority, despite the devastation.
“It’s such a relief to be able to do it. This is the happiest vote I ever cast in my life,” said Annette DeBona, a resident at Point Pleasant Beach who had to travel to a neighboring town due storm damage, according to AP.
Some states reported a higher voter turnout than they had four years ago. In Virginia, State Board of Elections secretary Don Palmer said, “Turnout is robust ... We think it'll be higher than 2008,” according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. To mitigate long lines in some precincts, Palmer ordered adding more voting equipment.
In California, the most populous state with the highest number of Electoral College votes (55), voter turnout is expected to hit 70 percent of registered voters this election. At the same time, the number of mail-in ballots reached a new high, with 51 percent, exceeding those cast at the precinct.
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