Pic of 7th day of early voting in Lakeland. Article. About 900 1st day.

[madfloridian]

October 18 was the first day of early voting. It is estimated there were over 870, maybe closer to 1000.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041027/NEWS/410270386/1134

LAKELAND -- Polk voters like Daydre Thornton are showing up in record numbers to vote early. She waited 90 minutes Tuesday to cast a ballot at the Polk County Government Center in Lakeland and wondered why there weren't more election workers to accommodate the crowd.

"There were only two women at the window," said Thornton, of Lakeland, who voted early because she will be out of the country on Election Day. Other voters who came early echoed Thornton's concerns.

"I thought it would be more convenient and faster," said René Sivley, 18, of Lakeland. But with the exception of lines at the Lakeland office, early voting in Polk appeared to be going fairly smoothly, considering the intense interest in this year's election.

Two other early voting sites are also open -- at the main elections office at 250 Broadway Ave. in Bartow and at the East County Government Complex at 3425 U.S. 17 in Winter Haven....."

Line starts back left, curves, ends back right of pic. Courtesy of the Lakeland Ledger.