Long lines on Election Day enhance appeal of early voting

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Long lines on Election Day enhance appeal of early voting

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/2004-11-17-early-voting_x.htm

By Jim Drinkard, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Just as hanging chads on Florida punch-card ballots were
the enduring image of the 2000 presidential election, long lines at
polling places have become the icon for this year's voting.

(snip)

"Because of the broad number of people who experienced this
inconvenience, I don't think the full-court press for change is going
to let up," Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell says.

Ground zero for long waits was Gambier, Ohio, where two electronic
voting machines served 1,170 voters. The polling place had to stay
open until 4 a.m. to accommodate everyone. Rita Yarman, deputy
elections director in Knox County, which includes Gambier, says early
voting would have helped. "I think it would be wonderful," she says.
"We're certainly hopeful that that comes about."

So is Maggie Hill, 21, a student from Maryland who registered to vote
at her Kenyon College address in Gambier because her vote for John
Kerry mattered more in Ohio. She got in line to vote at 1:30 p.m. and
finally got to cast a ballot at 11. "I think I would consider doing
the early voting" next time, she says. "There were just too many
people."