Election Day: Long lines, wait times reported at voting centers

Long lines have been reported Tuesday morning at all vote centers, and longer than normal wait times are being experienced at the Yuma County Health Department and Connecting Point Nazarene Church, where voters are being directed to other voting locations.

Some vote centers were having technical problems with printers, acknowledged Kevin Tunell, Yuma County spokesman. However, people could still vote by touch screens, which are operational at all vote centers.

But another factor in the long lines is the heavy voter turnout, he said. “It’s a presidential election and a huge turnout is inherent. People will have to wait.”

That’s even with a record number of people voting by early ballot or casting their ballots in advance at the Yuma County Recorder’s Office. As of early Monday afternoon, the office had processed 23,714 early ballots, reported Robyn Stallworth Pouquette.

Yuma County has 75,573 active registered voters, she said.

Some vote centers were reporting waits of two hours or more Tuesday morning, said Cristyn Weil, who was working at the Yuma County Democratic Headquarters. Along with the technical difficulties, she said she believes there just aren’t enough vote centers for the very close presidential election.

“There’s a very enthusiastic base out there this morning,” said Jonathan Lines, chairman of the Yuma County Republican Party.

He, too, mentioned there were “some glitches” with the machines, but commended the Yuma County technical staff for their efforts to resolve the problems.

As for the long lines, Lines noted that there were reports of people waiting three and a half hours to vote in the presidential election 12 years ago. “So a one-hour wait is a significant improvement.”

Lines also said he’s heard of three- and four-hour waits in other areas, including San Diego and Phoenix.

Here’s a list of the vote centers, which will be open until 7 p.m. today. The centers are located at:

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Neighborhood Center, 300 S. 13th Ave., Yuma

• Immanuel Baptist Church, 1000 E. 24th St., Yuma

• Yuma County Health Department, 2200 W. 28th St., Yuma

• Oasis Church, 1545 S. Avenue C, Yuma

• Connecting Point Nazarene Church (formerly First Church of the Nazarene), 1900 S. Avenue A, Yuma

• Yuma County Public Works, 4343 S. Avenue 5-1/2E, Yuma

• Community Christian Church, 6480 E. Highway 95, Yuma

• First Southern Baptist Church of Wellton, 11711 William St., Wellton

• Foothills Library, 13226 E. South Frontage Road

• Somerton Library, 240 Canal St., Somerton

• Fernando Padilla Community Center, 800 Juan Sanchez Blvd., San Luis, Ariz.

For more information, call the Yuma County Elections Office at 373-1014.

Check back with YumaSun.com as Election Day continues.