Large Turnout, New Law Factors In Long Poll Lines - WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's Choice

Large Turnout, New Law Factors In Long Poll Lines

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A monster turnout for a fiercely contested election in the swing state of Virginia, confusion over a new voter ID law and staff shortages contributed to long lines and waits up to five hours at polling places on Election Day.
    
Election officials and groups whose volunteers monitored voting precincts say some of the backups were unavoidable, but others could have been mitigated if not prevented.
    
People waited in the cold for more than three hours at some locations after polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
    
Lara Cole of the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law says a backup she saw at one Chesapeake precinct appeared to result from short staff and voter confusion. Registrar Al Spradlin added poll books and workers all day long.

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