WATCH: Massively Long Lines, Five-Plus Hour Wait Times Mark First Day of Early Voting in Suburban Atlanta
The first day of early voting in the swing state of Georgia was marked by massively long lines and wait times beyond five hours in the counties of suburban Atlanta.
Former Democratic Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill reposted an Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter’s video of a voting line in Gwinnett Country, located northeast of the city, that stretched for blocks, calling it out as “a picture of voter suppression.”
This is a picture of voter suppression. Why do Americans have to wait in lines this long? This is the line in Suwannee Georgia today to vote. pic.twitter.com/rHl4Gr5kEi
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) October 12, 2020
Georgia is perhaps the most competitive state in the 2020 election. Besides having two Senate races — one a special election, driven by a retirement — the RealClearPolitics average has the presidential race in the state as a dead heat, with President Donald Trump currently leading Democratic challenger Joe Biden by a scant 0.4%.
According to AJC reporter Tyler Estep, votes in Suwannee were experiencing waits of more than four hours, which a Gwinnett County spokesperson reportedly blamed on a “glitchy” check-in and computer network access issues.
Talked to several voters who had been there since 7 and were still waiting as 11 am approached. They were told check-in was being “glitchy.” Gwinnett spox said there was “intermittent issue with network access … that slowed processing down” https://t.co/VZ7XN1X1dS
— tyler, the reporter (@ByTylerEstep) October 12, 2020
The voting story was much the same in Cobb County, which is located on the northern and western side of metro Atlanta, with local journalists reporting delays of anywhere from three to five-plus hours.
Take a look at the early voting lines at the Cobb County Elections & Registration main office. The person who sent this told me they’ve been waiting for at least 3 hours. We are seeing long lines allll over the metro area @FOX5Atlanta pic.twitter.com/z2fLHWxluL
— Eric Perry (@Ericperrytv) October 12, 2020
As of 11am, voters waited 5+ hours to cast ballots @ the main Cobb Co. early polling location (736 Whitlock Ave, Marietta). Some seemed unbothered by the line. “It doesn’t matter how long it takes…we’re voting like our life depends on it,“ said a voter. #gavotes @11AliveNews pic.twitter.com/gA5wHLoyit
— Andy Pierrotti (@AndyPierrotti) October 12, 2020
This is the voter. Her name is Viola Hardy. She got in line at 6:20am. She was still in line to vote at 11:15am. pic.twitter.com/dbcHcIRrf8
— Andy Pierrotti (@AndyPierrotti) October 12, 2020
And in DeKalb Country, on the southeast corner of Atlanta, one reporter filmed a voting line that snaked around the side of a large shopping mall.
This is the early voting line at South DeKalb mall pic.twitter.com/LvePQmPHwp
— Justin Gray (@JustinGrayWSB) October 12, 2020
These three, high-population counties play a key role in Georgia politics. Four years ago, the presidential race was close in Gwinnett and Cobb Counties, but Hillary Clinton won the former by just over 20,000 votes and the latter by 7,000 votes. In DeKalb County, however, Clinton crushed Trump by nearly 200,000 votes. Trump ultimately won the state by five percent in 2016, by a total of 211,000 voters, less than the combined vote margin in those three metro Atlanta counties.
