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Sunday, October 19, 2008

Early Voting Sites Full of Voters Eager To Cast Ballots

By Lloyd Jojola
Journal Staff Writer
          Distinct presidential candidates and turbulent economic times had voters showing up in solid, steady numbers Saturday — the day 15 additional early voting sites opened in Bernalillo County.
        "I think it's been heavy pretty much everywhere," County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver said of the turnout. The clerk was at the University of New Mexico site, where it was taking about 45 minutes — the shortest wait time was about 20 minutes — to cast a ballot. There were no reports of major problems at any of the voting sites.
        "People have been very patient, very understanding, very excited to participate," Toulouse Oliver said. "We've definitely moved them through as fast as possible."
        About 8,700 people voted, she said. Turnout also was heavy in Santa Fe County. "The line is out the door and into the parking lot," Santa Fe County Clerk Valerie Espinoza told The Associated Press about the voting location at the fairgrounds. "There are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people out to vote."
        Based on firsthand accounts at several voting locations in the Albuquerque area, lines began forming at least an hour before sites opened at 10 a.m. and traffic remained steady, but there seemed to be no vocal complaints about dreadfully long waits or problems with ballot casting.
        "I came here early to avoid the lines — silly me," said Claudia Stanley, a North Valley resident who showed up at the Los Ranchos Villa site near Fourth and Osuna NW about 9:15 a.m. She added herself to a line of about 25 people. "But this is great. It's encouraging."