Video Story
Watch VideoLong lines to vote early
Story By: David Tauchen
Source: KOAA
Published Fri Oct 31, 2008, 09:07 PM MDT
Updated Fri Oct 31, 2008, 10:43 PM MDT
Big turnout meant big lines on the last day of early voting in Colorado. Thousands of people lined up at the three voting locations in Colorado Springs. Wait times exceeded 3 hours.
"I'm shocked," said Lisa Schmick as she joined the line at Centennial Hall where the line stretched out the door. "I thought everybody voted on the 4th. I thought ...'we're going to beat the lines coming early'".
The line there was so long some got frustrated and just gave up.
"It's pretty discouraging," said Louis Spicciati, who decided to leave and come back on November 4th. "You've got to wait for at least an hour in the hot sunshine before you can even get inside."
Election officials say the numbers were unprecedented. More than 37,000 people voted early in El Paso County, roughly 5,000 more than the 2004 election.
"It's a good thing for Election Day. It'll help ease the lines at the poll places," said Liz Olson, El Paso County Election Manager.
Olson said the county also issued a record number of mail-in ballots. "We've issued over 150,000 mail in ballots and have close to 100,000 of those back already."
