ATLANTA – Cynthia Robinson had decided.
The 72-year-old Clayton County resident made the decision to have her vote counted, so go to the polls at 7:55 a. m. the first day of early voting in Georgia was almost a no-brainer.
“I didn’t accept mail voting at this specific election as true,” he told the Daily Beast of his Jonesboro community two hours later. “I voted early and in person. I knew it was a COVID problem, but I was in a position to check my luck.
Early voting in Georgia on Monday was tarnished by technical issues, with some voters at a big new site at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta that left early in frustration. in June, even as the county struggled to mitigate the problems, starting with the incorporation of State Farm as an early constituency. The arena comprises more than three hundred voting machines, through Georgia’s largest constituency, and allows some social distance a pandemic that has killed more than 7,000 Georgians.
But even with a primary boost in the state, where polls show that Joe Biden is competing with President Trump, for the electorate to send votes by mail, many have challenged long queues and COVID-19 to vote in person.
Among the reasons that stand out to thousands of masked voters: the distrust of the United States Postal Service (USPS) and the mail-order voting formula after a series of alarming reports about the closure of sorting machines and the retention of mail under Trump’s firm head. Since then, federal court orders have been moved to recover penny pinch measures that have raised fears that the company will distribute mail correctly this pandemic election season, although punctuality rates have dropped since the summer.
In Atlanta’s Candler Park neighborhood, Edwards said he voted by mail in June but did not vote early for fear of the USPS.
“I just have the idea that if I take the obligatory precautions, it would be for someone my age without any fitness problems in the past,” Edwards, 39, told the Daily Beast.
Another voter, Raymont Burke, 46, said he had also voted by mail in the June primary, but was involved in whether his survey would be received, so he queued for two hours at the Georgia International Convention Center to publish it in person.
When he arrived at 8 a. m. , about 250 more people were in line with him and only one of the 12 polling stations worked, he said.
“They have to initiate the procedure for the operation of the electoral apparatus the day before so that any technological incident that occurs may have enough time for them,” Burke said.
While the vote went well for Burke personally, he became involved with the older electorate who is most vulnerable to COVID-19 and who is queuing for long periods of time.
“They want more cell machines, ” said Burke. ” They drive to people’s homes. “
For its part, Fulton County declared the technical disorders of the State Farm Arena, which saw thinner lines later in the day. The Office of the Secretary of State of Georgia stated that technical disorders were widespread.
“Long queues are expected: the electorate should be aware of all their options, add 3 weeks of early voting, there is no excuse for absences and voting day in person,” Georgian Secretary of State spokesman Walter Jones said in a statement sent by email.
For Arica Carbo, vote on Monday a déj vu.
Carbo, a 43-year-old resident of Old Fourth Ward, voted early in the June primary in Georgia, queuing for about an hour and a portion before someone told the electorate there was a problem. and voter intimidation, of a technical nature: a last-minute software update of Georgia’s voting system.
“Why would I do that before I set up machines for early voting?”her in an interview.
Another concern, particularly in Fulton County, is the lack of early voting places.
In June, there was less in Fulton County after several sites at the last minute closed their doors for fear of the spread of COVID-19. On Monday, there were 30 early voting districts. In addition, the county will have 255 polling stations on Election Day, compared to the 164 electoral districts it had this summer, the county announced last month.
Carbo said he planned to wait as long as was required and did his best to convince the voter to stay.
“No, I’m leaving,” the voter said, “we have to vote against him [Donald Trump. “
A short time later, the young man left the line saying he did have two hours to wait, which for Carbo sparked the specter of intentionally depressed involvement in a state with a long history of electoral intimidation and a recent long-awaited precedent. moments that critics said were aimed at the black community.
“It hurts because then his [Republicans] project was completed by taking out other people,” Carbo said.
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