ATLANTA — An Atlanta precinct packed quickly in light of a voting machine shortage on Election Day.
The polling place at Christ the Redeemer Church on Peachtree Dunwoody Road had five machines for the primary and half a dozen before that. But based on the number of registered voters in the precinct for this election, they were down to four machines.
Voters told Channel 2's Jim Strickland they had gotten impatient.
"It was 30 minutes and it's the fewest machines I've seen. Typically we can walk in and walk right back out," said voter Dixie Ann Hanes.
Poll Captain Vatrice Gibbs said she was concerned about depressing voter turnout.
"It's decreased by two since the last presidential election in 2008, so we've had a lot of disappointed voters today for that very reason," Gibbs said.
Other voters said it was worth the wait.
"It's great if they get all the machines back but we're still voting. I'm still voting even if there's only four machines," said voter Janice Simonton.
A precinct a few miles away had the same long lines, despite having more machines.
"They've got six machines on the floor they didn't even bother to set up," said Precinct RW02 voter Bob O'Neill.
Machines were packed away, even as the line stretched to more than an hour's wait.
In Roswell, Second Chance Alternative School had to offer the library for voting since classes were in session and the cafeteria was booked.
"People are here voting, but because we have approximately half of our machines set up it is slowing down the process," said Fulton election official Mark Henderson.
Elections officials found room to squeeze in the remaining six machines around 2 p.m.
WSBTV
