High turnout in North Fulton on first day of early voting

Early in-person voting started across Georgia on Monday, and Fisher is one of thousands of north Fulton residents who stampeded the polls to participate before the Nov. 8 contest creeps near.

“It’s a long line in there,” Fisher told another voter as he exited the North Fulton Service Center on Roswell Road. With a hectic work schedule, Fisher found that his best opening to vote came by arriving as early as he could to the precinct.

“If I don’t vote early (now), then I won’t vote on (Election Day),” he said.

Some residents at the North Fulton Service Center, the Sandy Springs Library and Roswell Public Library waited in line for up to 40 minutes to cast their ballot Monday. Some tired of waiting and decided to take a rain check and come back another day. (Early voting runs through Nov. 4.)

That wasn't an option for Brian and Martie Rudd. Although the lines were longs, the Sandy Springs couple appreciated how hard polling officials at the service center worked to try and minimize waiting times.

Elliott Darryl gave a sigh of relief after finally wrapping up his vote at the Roswell Public Library. Darryl, a new Roswell resident, had to wait 30 minutes to cast a ballot.

"I just moved to this county this year, so I didn't know what it was going to be like," he said.

This election year presents a diverse package of issues for Fulton County voters to unwrap. Aside from local ballot initiatives like the transportation tax and Gov. Nathan Deal's takeover plan for failing schools, the presidential election is what most residents said drove them to the polls early.

Barry Cone's choice for president, however, is a more difficult one. Neither Clinton or Trump are up to the task to serve as president, Cone said.

"I'm not walking away feeling great about the choices," she said.

Early voting runs Oct. 17 to Nov. 4.

Including two full weekends at all Fulton County locations: