The long lines at early voting places across Fulton County have paid off when it comes to the number of people who have cast their vote: For the first time, county officials expect more people will vote early than will go to the ballots on election day.
“It’s been the goal since I got here,” said Richard Barron, Fulton’s director of elections and registration since 2013. “Definitely, election day will take a back seat to early voting.”
Barron wanted an increase in early voting in order to ease the pressure on Tuesday. Fulton opened 24 early voting locations across the county, along with a dozen “outreach” locations at colleges and senior centers. Friday morning, Barron said he expected 255,000 people would vote early.
On the last day of early voting, waits could stretch to nearly two hours at popular locations, like the Buckhead Library.
Those early lines should make Tuesday easier, Fulton County Chairman John Eaves said.
“There should be shorter lines, less frustration, less stress,” he said. “It should spell greater satisfaction of voters.”
For the past two presidential elections, in 2008 and 2012, Fulton has had problems at the polls, including voter registration lists that did not make it to precincts on time and counts that took longer than they should have. Eaves said the county has learned from the problems of previous years, and he expects a successful election.
“I’m confident of the effort,” he said. “Early voting is here to stay. It’s not an experiment anymore.”
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