Early voters flock to polls

The county's three one-stop voting locations have been overwhelmed by voters who want no part in the polling-place frenzy associated with Election Day.

Since the three locations opened, 8,554 people have voted. Though numbers are higher than they were at this point during the 2000 election season, the 95,525 total people registered in the county indicate that there is still work to be done to get locals to the polls.

Carolyn Thomas, director of the Orange County Board of

Elections, said the BOE placed the one-stop locations in central parts of the county so that voting would be easily accessible to everyone.

The board's office, located in Hillsborough at 110 E. King St., was the first location to open its doors and has seen 2,887 voters since its Oct. 14 one-stop voting kickoff.

Volunteer Keith Cecil said he has seen a great number of students turning up to vote. "I have been doing this for years, and I have never seen this many young people."

The Hillsborough location also provides curb-side voting for anyone who can't stand in line. "If they'll blow the horn, we'll walk out," Cecil said.

Accompanied by her husband and 2-year-old son, Angie Mauer, of 815 New Hope Church Road, voted Thursday in Hillsborough. "It's a lot easier to get in and out if you vote early," she said.

At Morehead Planetarium, another one-stop voting location, has seen 3,579 voters, many of them students, since it opened on Oct. 18.

"It's just a big hassle to go back home and do it," said Megan Paduchowski, a freshman and a first-time voter.

The one-stop campus polling spot provides a way for University students to vote without having to travel across town and find their precincts on Election Day, said Tom Jensen, party affairs director for UNC's Young Democrats.

Parking is available at Morehead, and if voters grab an "I Voted" sticker on their way out then they get out of the lot for free.

Voting at the third location, the Carrboro Town Hall, at 301 W. Main St., got off to a shaky start, with hourlong waits on the first day because of inadequate space.

Since then, voting has moved into the meeting room on the first floor, and things have been running more smoothly, said paid volunteer Trish Verne. "We've gotten more voting booths and two more computers."

The Carrboro location has seen 2,078 voters so far. "Its been very busy," Verne said. "There's always a steady flow of people coming through here."

The political parties in the county are striving to get voters informed and to the polls early.

The Young Democrats, working with the Orange County Democrats, can be found outside of Morehead, passing out sample ballots. The group wants to make sure voters know to vote for their choice of president first because the presidential race is not included in the straight ticket.

"We've had an overwhelming response from citizens and students," Jensen said. "We're expecting a very good turnout this year."

The Orange County Democrats are targeting the other locations to pass out literature to voters, while county Republicans have been contacting party members through a phone bank.

"We are encouraging everyone to vote early," said Carrie Cote, volunteer chairwoman of the Orange County Republican Party. "If they wait until Election Day, anything that happens in life could interfere, and they could miss their vote."

County Democratic party chairman Barry Katz said the party hopes to have twice as many people vote as did in 2000.

Thomas said the increased voter turnout should continue. "It's probably going to pick up this week and at the end of next week."

But Thomas said she and volunteers are still expecting a huge turnout on Election Day. "Some people just like to vote on the actual Election Day."

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.