‘How to protect the midterms...” the left ponders

November 8, 2016 Atlanta: Poll manager, Melvin Davis Jr. prepare the voting machines on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 at Henry W. Grady High School at 929 Charles Allen Dr NE in Atlanta. “I’m pleased to say all the polls opened on time and on schedule," Fulton elections director Richard Barron told The AJC. "We’re expecting 70 percent turnout."  The previous early voting record in 2012 was 152,562. When absentee ballots come in, Barron said he expects the early vote will be about 284,000.  “It’s a major accomplishment for us," he said. "Early voting worked in our favor. We’re pleased that our residents listened.  Our hope is that today’s voters also will be patient if they have a wait.” A record 2.38 million people cast their ballots during the state’s early voting period, which ended Friday. Local officials enacted safety plans to make sure all went smoothly Tuesday. Deputies were assigned to busier polling sites in Cobb County, and deputies drove by polling spots in Gwinnett County, Channel 2 Action News reported. Fulton County police didn’t assign special patrols, but police said officers monitored polls. JOHN SPINK /JSPINK@AJC.COM