(KRON) — The Friday before Election Day, early voters lined out the door at Walnut Creek City Hall.
The doors opened at 11 a.m. for the early voting site and there was a constant line. Some were waiting close to an hour to vote in-person, but said they don’t mind because this election is that important to them.
“Maybe since I’ve been voting, the most important election, ever,” said voter Dianne Hawkins. “I thought I was going to beat the long lines on Election Day, but this line is just as long!”
“I’m happy to see people are here in great numbers,” added voter Michele Dybdahl.
“It’s just such an important election I want to get out there and get my vote counted right away,” said voter Mark Lundin. “There’s extra weight doing it in person.”
The line surprised not only voters, but also Contra Costa County Clerk Registrar Recorder Kristin B. Connelly. She told KRON4 they even had to put in additional polling booths to keep up with demand.
“We’re seeing unprecedented turnout,” Connelly said. “Our teams have seen this is not just happening at this early voting site, it’s happening at all five voting sites that opened at 11. We’re trying to get as many of our ballot marking devices out so we can cut down on the line.”
Connelly said voter turnout so far is going mostly as planned. “For the early voting sites having this big turnout today, that is more than we expected. The returns have been healthy but coming out according to plan. Our planning for this election was counting on an 85 percent turnout and we really have been right on track.”
Voters can also drop off their ballots at any of the county’s 43 drop boxes, but some said they feel safer voting in person.
“I get this sense from the last election that there is not much safety in our voting, and I just would feel better, it would make me more comfortable knowing I got my vote,” said Dybdahl.
Connelly wants to assure people the ballot boxes are safe and secure. “Law enforcement is aware of where all our drop boxes are,” confirmed Connelly. “We are regularly servicing those 43 drop boxes. We will be doing that this weekend. We know that much of the vote is coming in this weekend.”
The county clerk said if you don’t want to wait in line, their office has an early voting site in Martinez and there is no line, as of this news report. There will be 146 polling places open across the Contra Costa County on Election Day.
(KRON) — The Friday before Election Day, early voters lined out the door at Walnut Creek City Hall. The doors opened at 11 a.m. for the early voting site and there was a constant line. Some were waiting close to an hour to vote in-person, but said they don’t mind because this election is that important […]
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