Voting lines moved rather quickly Tuesday and many voters noticed a new accommodation in the voting process.
In the past, voters advanced through the line at the precinct and then sorted themselves into one of three lines based on the first letter of their last name.
This election saw poll workers looking to keep each of the three lines filled by asking those in line who fit into the less full lines to come forward and take a place there.
While some residents saw the change creating expediency in the voting process, others did not.
When Greenville resident Gerald Turner arrived at 7:06 a.m. Tuesday at the Lake Vista Masonic Lodge to vote, he expected to move through the line quickly when he saw there were about 25 people ahead of him in line.
“I got in line like I’m supposed to and people started filing in line behind me, everything was good at first,” he said.
Then, Turner said he began to hear letters being called out and various people would leave their spot in the line and walk inside the building.
“I didn’t know what was going on at first but it didn’t take me long to figure it out,” he said.
As the poll workers’ check-in stations grew shorter (A-H,) (I-S) (T-Z), Turner said they would call someone with those range of last names to step out of line, go inside and get in line at their check-in station.
“I’m 76 years old and I’ve never seen voting like that before,” he said, noting he did not agree with their system to move people through the line ahead of those who were waiting before them.
“I can understand if they have a disability or special need, but just getting people to cut ahead of others who have been waiting just because their last name is different is not right.”
Turner said he called the Washington County Election Commission, who told him that was, in fact, not the way poll lines are supposed to be handled.
“I wasn’t the only one upset, there were other people in line who were not happy with this either,” he said. “When you get in line to wait, you should be able to go when it is your turn.”
Turner said he left the precinct after voting at about 7:45 a.m.
Election commissioner Sadie Seard said the poll workers are not allowed to call individuals by name from the line to come forward to vote.
She also said she was aware of the single complaint about how voting happened on Tuesday.
She also said the voting seems to be progressing at a relatively quick pace.
“Considering the magnitude of the election,” Seard said. “It’s going well.”
She said not since the Obama elections has the turnout been quite so high in her observation at about 2:30 on Tuesday afternoon.
