Voters run into long lines, other issues on Election Day

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It’s been a rough start for many people who are choosing to vote on Election Day for Georgia’s primary.

Channel 2 Action News has been flooded by phone calls and social media messages describing issues at voting locations Tuesday morning.

As soon as the polls opened at 7 a.m., voters say some locations’ machines didn’t work or there were not enough paper ballots.


Georgia House Speaker David Ralston is now calling for an investigation into the voting problems.

Georgia GOP released a statement, blaming Fulton County officials for issues during the primary election.

“Just hours into Election Day, it has already become painfully apparent that Fulton County’s Democrat leadership is woefully unprepared to conduct today’s primary vote,” said Georgia GOP Executive Director Stewart Bragg. “The chair of the Fulton County Registration and Elections Board is a Democrat donor and a Democrat primary voter whose failed management has led to long lines, voting machine malfunctions, and scores of other avoidable problems. This unacceptable incompetence will effectively disenfranchise countless eligible voters across Georgia’s largest county. Georgia voters deserve better from their public servants. Frustrated voters in Fulton County should contact their Democratic local elected official and demand change.”

11:11 a.m.

DeKalb County Chair of Board Elections Samuel Tillman said the county election office is experiencing technical issues with the voting machines.

“These issues are being seen statewide and are not isolated to DeKalb County. Any voter who has been turned away without casting a ballot should go to any precinct in DeKalb County and ask for a provisional paper ballot.”

Voters can call the DeKalb County Board of Voter Registration and Elections at 404-298-4020.

11:00 a.m.

Channel 2 investigative reporter Justin Gray received a statement from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office about polling problems. The statement blames the issues on poor planning and limited training by the counties.

One voter in Stone Mountain says his location is up and running.

One voter says there is only one voting machine at her voting location in southwest Atlanta.

One voter in Cobb County says her voting location had 7 machines but only 3 were operational.

A voter says the machines are down at the Stone Mountain Middle School Precinct in Tucker.

What are your thoughts on the set of technical difficulties? How could a city like Atlanta not have been properly prepared?

 

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