Election Day: Down to the wire reminder

An elderly voter casts her ballot at the Fulton County Government Center, Tuesday Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel reminds voters:

Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Georgia law provides that any voter in line at 7:00 p.m. shall be permitted to vote. Voters can find registration information, including polling locations and legislative districts, by using the Secretary of State’s Poll Locator at http://www.sos.georgia.gov/Elections or by calling (888) 265-1115.

Voters participating in the election on Election Day will be required to show one of the following six forms of photo ID:

• A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired;
• Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS);
• Valid U.S. passport;
• Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state;
• Valid U.S. military photo ID; or
• Valid tribal photo ID.
• If a voter does not have one of these forms of photo identification, the voter can obtain a free voter ID card at their county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services.

Anyone with additional questions about Georgia’s photo ID requirement can visit www.GAPhotoID.com or call toll free (877) 725-9797.

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Election Day marks 101st birthday for Ga. man

As Americans flock to the polls for a historic Election Day, Ellis Joel Daniel of Snellville will make a bit of his own history.

The World War II veteran and former U.S. postman turns 101 on Tuesday, and he knows a thing or two about voting in presidential elections.

Daniel, who voted absentee a month ago, has cast ballots in every race since 1928.

In 1932, Daniel threw his support to Franklin Roosevelt. That support ended because he believed Roosevelt allowed the Russians to take control of eastern Europe after World War II.

Daniel grew up in the small town of Millen in east Georgia. He served 24 years in the Army Reserve and three years of active duty during World War II.

Daniel says despite Sen. Barack Obama's lead in the polls, he thinks Sen. John McCain will pull out a victory.

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(AP)

2 Ga. counties consider extended voting hours

Voting instructions at the Fulton County Government Center. (Dave Bender)
undefinedVoting instructions at the Fulton County Government Center. (Dave Bender)
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Fulton County elections officials decided against asking for federal permission to extend voting hours on Election Day.

But officials in Clayton County are still considering whether to ask for expanded hours because of the heavy turnout in early and advance voting.

The Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections said Monday that the number of voting machines is enough to handle the crush of voters.

Polls are normally open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Georgia.

More than 2 million people have voted so far - or about 36 percent of the state's 5.6 million registered voters.

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(AP)

Officials: few problems in final days of early voting

Muscogee Co. voters line up outside the main branch of the Columbus public library, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Voters throughout Georgia lined up under sunny skies on Friday and Saturday to cast a ballot on the final days of advance voting.


Voters patiently waited an average of 40 minutes to 1.5 hours to cast their ballots in one of the libraries' reading rooms, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. (Dave Bender).

In Columbus, long, but fast moving lines greeted some 5,000 Muscogee County residents casting early ballots at the Columbus Library, according to election technician Tamika Booker:

“We’ve been having about 1,200 a day here at the library, as well as at one of our other voting sites. Two of our other ones have had a little bit less than that – maybe about 800.”

Jimmy Morris, a security guard at the Troup Co. Government Center assists voters waiting to cast their ballots, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Further to the north, at the Troup County courthouse in Lagrange, Chief Registrar Donna Williams reports a similar turnout:

“It’s been a tremendous, great turnout. We’ve voted almost 13,000 people so far, and we’re steady going.”

Officials say that statewide, the longest wait times during the past week have averaged two to three hours.

In Coweta County, polls were open on Saturday from 9 to noon at the county administration building in downtown Newnan. Some 200 residents cast their ballot, according to the Associated Press.

Residents got a federal ok to hold Saturday voting there, in 1986.

State elections officials say over a thousand lawyers will oversee Tuesday’s voting. The attorneys will represent the parties, the state and federal government, special interests and voting rights groups.

Polls for the presidential election open across Georgia at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

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Handel: no mechanism for Saturday voting

Sign at the Fulton County Government Center, explaining early voting procedures, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Secretary of State Karen Handel -- a Republican who oversees Georgia elections -- says state law doesn't provide for weekend voting and prohibits voting on the Monday before Election Day.

Democratic Party Chair Jane Kidd on Tuesday called on Handel to request that the Department of Justice allow polls to remain open longer during the week, over the weekend, and on Monday, November 3:

“We have known that both the Democratic and Republican parties, their candidates, and even your office itself are encouraging voters to avail themselves of advance and early voting. And, we have known since advance voting began that large numbers of voters are doing just that. I am just mystified that your elections division is seemingly so unprepared for the wave of voters we all knew was coming."

Handel responded saying that county officials will be working through the weekend to prepare for the crush of voters.

Lines at the ballot box were down to under four hours in most places by Tuesday.

(AP)

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Kidd calls for longer polling hours over delays

Upwards of 1,500 voters a day are casting their ballot at the Fulton Co. Government Center Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Jane Kidd, Democratic chair of the Georgia Democratic Party has complained to Secretary of State Karen Handel, over delays and technical problems during the first two days of advanced voting:

“We have known that both the Democratic and Republican parties, their candidates, and even your office itself are encouraging voters to avail themselves of advance and early voting. And, we have known since advance voting began that large numbers of voters are doing just that. I am just mystified that your elections division is seemingly so unprepared for the wave of voters we all knew was coming.

In a letter sent to Handel's office Tuesday, Kidd called on her to request that the Department of Justice allow polls to remain open longer during the week, over the weekend, and on Monday, November 3.

Meanwhile, long lines of voters snaked through polling stations in many parts of Georgia.


Signs instructing voters how to cast their ballot at the Fulton Co. Government Center, Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Voters turned out in droves Tuesday to cast their ballots for over 60 elections at the Fulton County Government Center, according to spokesman Bob Giordano:

"We've estimated 1,500 a day, sometimes more, sometimes less.

Voting officials check voter registration at the Fulton Co. Government Center, Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender).

While most voters patiently waited in line in the glassed-in atrium, elderly and handicapped voters were allowed to cast their ballots separately, on another floor, where they received special assistance from voting officials.


An elderly voter casts her ballot at the Fulton County Government Center, Tuesday Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Although there were some snafus on Monday, Giordano says voters were patient, as officials worked out technical problems:

"There were some problems at the state level, or in some cases at the local or county level, but generally everyone has been very understanding and kept their patience and cool and went through the system pretty easily - except for having to have patience and wait."

Elderly woman voter waits out the crowds at the Fulton Co. Government Center, Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

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Groups plan to monitor Ga. elections

The nonpartisan group Election Protection said they hope to have 600 volunteer monitors at polling place in metro Atlanta and Macon alert for voting problems.

The group has already received more than 3,500 calls from Georgians to its hotline. Most are asking questions about basic things such as how to locate a polling place. But some are
reporting problems with things like voter registration. The group is helping voters work through the problems.

There is concern that record turnout could create long lines and other problems on Election Day that could keep some Georgians from casting ballots. More than 890,000 Georgians have already cast ballots in early voting that began Sept. 22.

The Election Protection hotline is 1-866-OUR-VOTE.

(The Associated Press)

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Voting officals warn against 'Video Your Vote'

Sign forbidding cellphone use, at the entrance to a polling station at the West Park Government Center in Cobb Co., Monday, Oct 13, 2008. (Dave Bender)

PBS, YouTube and other web sites want voters to use their video-equipped cellphones and PDA's to film the process on November 4th, and then upload the clips to the internet.

But there's a problem: it's illegal.

Georgia, Florida, Michigan and several other states outlaw photography or recording devices at polling stations, to one degree or another.

Nancy Boren is head of Elections and Registrations in Muscogee County.

She says polling workers and volunteers are aware of the issue, and will try to thwart it:

“We do have prohibition notices posted at our advanced and absentee voting sites; they are in clear view of the voters; they have the opportunity to review them before they enter the enclosed space for voting.”

But organizers of "Video Your Vote," and similar sites say the initiative is meant to protect voting rights by monitoring the electoral process, and fight vote fraud.

Voters in the 2000 and 2004 complained of irregularities at polling stations, including malfunctioning voting machines, vote fraud and intimidation.

Numerous signs forbidding any campaigning within 150 feet of the outer edge of the polling station were posted at at the West Park Government Center in Cobb Co., Monday, Oct 13, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Opponents call the video idea an invasion of privacy, and that the very act of filming is disruptive and would affect the outcome of voting.

Boren says that in any case, the law will be enforced:

“If that became necessary, the sheriff’s department would be called, and a deputy would come here to talk with the voter, hopefully to get them to comply and then if they don’t, they would be removed from the voting precinct.”

Poll worker distributing sample ballots to voters at the polling station at West Park Government Center in Cobb Co., Monday, Oct 13, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Punishments vary in the states where it’s forbidden, and some states have buffer zones for campaigning and photography.

But, Boren says - so far - voters in her county have been very cooperative, and officials haven’t had to confiscate any communications devices.

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Strong turnout for early voting in Cobb Co.

Looking over the sample ballots at the West Park Government Center, Monday, Oct,13, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Today, early voters in Cobb County waited patiently on line to cast their ballot in over 60 national, state and local races.

Voters waited upwards of an hour and a half to cast their ballots – a process that took about ten minutes.

Shannon Dunn is the director of elections and registration for Cobb County:

"As of Friday evening, we had voted 17,000 plus, in person here.”

Election officials at the West Park Government Center kept order as the line of voters snaked towards the entrance.

Numerous signs forbid electioneering within 150 feet of the building.

No campaigning with 150 feet of the West Park Government Center polling station, Monday, Oct 13, 2008. (Dave Bender)

One voter who appreciated that strictly-enforced rule is Florence Cadran, Massachusetts -born, but now a resident of Cobb County:

“I don’t remember them having the early voting in Massachusetts – but when I’d go there’d be 30-40 people from every different politician that was there with their signs – in your face – so it was almost like walking through a corridor to get to the voting place, so this is much nicer.”

Voters waited patiently in line to cast their ballots, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, (Dave Bender)

Dunn she’s not spooked by the prospect of early voting concluding on October 31st -- Halloween eve.

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