(Florida voters line up to vote. Associated Press had raw footage from one precinct.)
Early voter lines are long in Florida, some voters are checking other locations for a shorter wait time. In Northeast Florida reports of machine malfunctions are causing voters a long wait time. Problems with voting machines are also causing major concern. Jacksonville.com has more on what is happening in their part of the state.
Malfunctions left some voters wondering Monday if their vote would count, while election officials throughout Northeast Florida were slammed with record early voting turnouts. Jerry Holland, Duval County supervisor of elections, said seven out of 15 optical scan machines were replaced on Monday as a result of problems with the machines rejecting ballots. “We’re looking at everything,” said Holland, who said the humidity, the paper or the machine may have been factors.
Problems with the machines occurred throughout Duval County, including Gateway mall, Webb Wesconnett, Mandarin, Highlands, Regency Square and Bradham-Brooks Northwest libraries, according to officials.
Tia Sewell-Crumpler, who voted at one of the problematic sites – Highlands library – felt uncomfortable her ballot wasn’t scanned. “I wanted to see it go into the machine,” Sewell-Crumpler said, to get counted.
Officials said voters can feel confident their ballots are being handled carefully and tactfully. Procedures have been put into place to make sure all registered voters who go out to vote have their say in the election. “We’re going to make sure every vote counts,” Holland added.
Broward County to the south also reported problems with equipment, according to The Associated Press, which said some voters in other parts of the state waited for hours as crowds swarmed election offices.
TheZoo 