ATLANTA — Early voting kicked off with a bang in metro Atlanta, drawing long lines of eager voters across the area.
In many precincts, such as one in Canton, the wait was bumper-to-bumper just to get to the voting precinct.
The enthusiasm has translated to impressive turnout numbers.
By the end of the day, over 251,000 ballots had been cast, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
While some locations, like DeKalb County, experienced smooth voting, others faced challenges.
In Cobb County, voting machines malfunctioned, causing prolonged wait times. However, voters remained undeterred.
“Everybody needs to get out there and vote,” said Sam Silverman, a Navy veteran.
“There’s always gonna be a problem be it the weather, be it the machines, whatever. Come and vote,” voter Nebraska McAlpine said.
Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes found long lines at the Smyrna Community Center right as doors opened at 7:00 a.m.
NewsChopper 2 captured images of dozens of people waiting.
Fernandes discovered that four out of their eight polling pads were not working.
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By 11:00 a.m., new machines were brought in, according to a Cobb County spokesperson.
Mikaela McAlpine expressed her enthusiasm for voting, particularly in what she described as a “historical election.”
“I just feel like it’s an important time,” McAlpine said.
The Secretary of State’s office is investigating the issues.
“It’s the first day; you’re gonna run into some of those things sometimes,” said Gabriel Sterling of the office. “Once we figure out what happened, we’ll let you know.”
Meanwhile, DeKalb County, specifically the polling location on Memorial Drive, experienced a busy day without reported issues.
“I waited a little over two hours,” voter Roxanna Kavanaugh said.
Despite the challenges, many voters felt motivated by the significance of this election.
“There’s a lot of people passionate about this, and I’m one of them,” Kavanaugh said. “I had to be here on the first day.”
As early voting continues, it seems Georgia is on track to potentially set new records in voter turnout, all in a positive direction.