Early Voting Has Begun
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Early voting is now underway! That gives you 12 days to cast your vote ahead of the November 8 election.
A steady stream of voters walked into the Park Lane polling location in Dallas. The number one reason people want to vote early is time. They don't want to put it off until election day and have to deal with a longer wait time.
Scott Rhodes was up early, and in line before the sunrise, "it's just easier to get it done and on my way."
Upon hearing this election may bring record early voter turnout, people like Burns McKinney did not waste a minute of time. "That's specifically why we got out early. I heard during the primaries there were hour, two hour lines, that's one of the reasons. Worried we would get caught in that, so that's why we're here in the dark at seven," says McKinney.
In order to be prepared for voters Dallas County election officials doubled the number of polling places and workers. They're monitoring how busy each site is, so voters can avoid lines.
Donna Chandler says she always tries to vote early for this reason. "It avoids the stress level. And just being proactive in the voting process, and encouraging other people to vote."
Others, like Laura Berry, are glad to put voting behind her, in this contentious election year. "I think because it's such a contentious year and obviously there's very passionate people on both sides that I think you're just going to see a lot of people get out there early, get their vote in and feel like they've done their part"
Dallas county election officials expected the lines to be longer on day one, later this week lines are excepted to not be as long.
Election officials in Dallas, Tarrant and Collin counties reported no issues on the first day of early voting, but in Denton County, a system glitch caused a delay this morning - but it has since been fixed.
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