Voters trickled into polling places around Buncombe County this morning as Election Day got underway. At a few locations, people were in line waiting for poll workers to open up at 6:30 a.m., and lines appeared around 8 a.m. at a few of the larger precincts, but there were no reports of long waits.
Forty-eight percent of the county’s registered voters voted in early voting, according to the Buncombe County Board of Elections. That’s a record, and probably accounts for the lack of a rush at polling places this morning. Local elections officials expect a record overall voter turnout by day’s end.
Local bloggers are keeping an eye on things, as well. ThunderPig reports a strong turnout in Jackson County, while Scrutiny Hooligans reports that voting is particularly strong at the Oakley precinct in east Asheville.
In other Election Day news:
• Go to the Buncombe County Board of Elections Web site for information about polling locations, sample ballots and more.
• If you want to watch election returns in Asheville, there are several viewing parties. Local Democrats plan to gather at the Crowne Plaza Resort Hotel in West Asheville, while Republicans are gathering at the Grove Park Inn. And there’s always a crowd at the elections board offices on College Street in downtown Asheville.
— Jason Sandford, multimedia editor
Good article. Here is what we have found in the county polling places. http://www.carolinastompers.com
The Broad Creek Fire Department was virtually empty…I was the 270th voter of the day and the volunteers were nice and helpful as always…
emma was near empty all day, yet still the most active it had ever been supposedly.