Metro voters wait in long lines for hours on final day of early voting

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — People lined up around buildings to cast their ballots on the last day of early voting Friday before the presidential primary Tuesday.

Channel 2 Action News found some voters at the polls well after midnight who were casting their ballots. Jack Garcia is one of those voters who waited a long time overnight Friday in Cobb County.

“We got here just after 4 p.m. and it’s 11:30 now. So we have been here seven hours to vote early in a primary election,” he said.

Garcia wasn’t alone. Channel 2 Action News reporters saw long lines across the metro area, including at C.T. Natatorium and Recreation Center in southwest Atlanta.

Other voters outside the Cobb County location were sitting on the curb or sitting in camping chairs as they waited. Fulton County added tents, chairs and handed out water bottles to keep voters who were waiting cool in the heat.

Many voters wore masks and held their ballots with gloved hands to protect themselves from coronavirus.

Garcia said he’s not complaining about the wait and just glad he got to cast his ballot. But he’s worried it could be a sign of things to come for Tuesday’s election.

“If this is any indication of what things will be like on June 9th, I think we’re in trouble as a state especially in the metro Atlanta area,” Garcia said.

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