It was an election day to remember, as much for the lines as for anything else. Voters in Habersham County reported wait times at some polls in excess of two hours. Most of them waited, others did not. Out of Habersham County’s 19,274 registered voters 9,758 cast ballots.
You might not have known it looking at the lines but not all votes were cast Tuesday, in fact, most of them weren’t. Habersham County Elections Superintendent Laurel Ellison says 790 absentee ballots were distributed prior to the election and 5,463 people voted early. That means before the polls even opened Tuesday 31% of Habersham County’s registered voters had already cast ballots, well over half of the county’s overall voter turnout of 50.63%.
There likely will be more early voters during the next election.
While most voters took waiting in stride, catching up with old friends and neighbors they hadn’t seen in awhile, others grew weary and gave up. There were scattered reports of elderly voters leaving the polls and parents with kids to pick up having to choose between staying or going. Some left but later returned.
Sheena Adams of Clarkesville did that. After waiting in line for 45 minutes at the Habersham North Precinct at the Ruby C. Fulbright Aquatic Center in Clarkesvile she was told it would be another hour and a half before she got to vote so she left to go home to tend to a sick child. “I’m just going to have to leave and try to come back, ” she said as she exited the polls. Adams’ 17-year old son Shawn was with her. Adams says she brings one of her three sons with her each time she votes “as part of the learning process.” Shawn learned on Tuesday he doesn’t like long lines but said he did enjoy the food he got from the concession stand at the Aquatic Center while waiting. He summed up his civics lesson at the polls as, “Long and boring.”
Alice Brookshire also went to the Aquatic Center to vote. She said she had to wait about an hour to cast her ballot. “It’s kind of crazy because they closed a bunch of the polls and just made it small, but everybody was pretty nice and got through it.” Brookshire said she was determined to vote for the SPLOST VI referendum. “My sister is married to a firefighter and the SPLOST means a lot when it comes to them.”
While issues and candidates drew many voters to the polls some said they came simply to engage in the process. Stephanie Frankum of Clarkesville said, “I think it’s my civic duty to vote and to let my opinion be known and counted.”
Habersham North Precinct Poll Manager Jo Owenby remained calm under pressure, politely answering questions and helping voters however she could. While Now Habersham was at the precinct a woman who had waited in line for nearly two hours found out she was at the wrong precinct. Owenby offered her a provisional ballot – one that is counted after voter registration is confirmed – and the woman voted without having to drive to her own precinct in Cornelia and start over in another line.
Owenby has been poll manager in Clarkesville for two years and said yesterday’s turnout was the biggest she’s seen so far. She said people were in line at the Habersham North Precinct thirty minutes before the polls opened at 7am and voting remained steady throughout the day. “We were hoping for this turnout but, personally, with me only doing it a couple of years, it was a little more than I even perceived, but we’re very glad and happy with that.” Owenby deftly navigated voters’ attitudes and needs from arranging assistance for elderly and disabled voters, to handling precinct mix-ups and diffusing sheer impatience. An hour and a half before the polls closed Owenby said it had been a hectic, but good day. “It’s been pretty smooth. For the most part everybody’s okay with it and understanding. Obviously, there’s always a few unhappy campers but we just try to accommodate them the best we can.”
Voters at the Habersham South Precinct at the Cornelia Depot had it even worse than those in Clarkesville. At the Depot they stood in line half inside, half out because of the small quarters. The Depot was cramped but the lines moved relatively quickly. Brady Hurt of Mt. Airy had to wait but said he was glad to see the turnout. Hurt added that it wasn’t the ballot but the voting process that drew him to the polls. “It’s a right I like to exercise. People fought for our freedom to vote and it’s our choice, so that’s what I want.” Tiffany Stephens of Cornelia echoed that sentiment. “If you don’t (vote) you’re not going to make a difference.”
Habersham County election officials are aware of the problems with long lines at the polls and say they are working to correct that. While lines were anticipated due to the consolidation of county precincts, no one yesterday expected them to be as long as they were. County Elections Superintendent Laurel Ellison says some election board members already have talked with county commissioners and she says, “I’m sure the elections board will discuss it the next time they meet.” Ellison says she still believes the consolidated precinct system can work but adds the key is to get more people to vote early. As for the limited space at the Cornelia Depot, Ellison says efforts already are underway to find a larger location. She says a new Habersham South Precinct may be in operation by next year’s municipal elections but definitely will be by the 2016 Presidential Election. She says the county is also exploring adding more voting machines to help speed up the voting process.
Ellison says, “I hate that people had to wait in long lines yesterday. I know that it can be better and it definitely will be better next time.”
Although the long lines may have been tough on voters and poll workers in Habersham it was good for business at the Aquatic Center. Thirsty and hungry voters filed past the center’s concession stand as they stood in line and kept concession worker Megan Loudermilk busy. “Business started a lot earlier than usual,” Loudermilk said. “It’s hectic but it’s good for business so, I guess it’s a good thing.”
There’s always a silver lining.
For more photos of Election Day 2014 in Habersham County click here.
