LANDOVER, Md. – First they waited for Sandy to come ashore. Then they waited for the lights to come back on. Now Marylanders are waiting again. This time to vote.
And at early voting centers in Maryland, the wait Thursday lasted as long as five hours. WTOP’s Kate Ryan visited one center in Landover to find out how voters spent that time.
Some snacked or sipped coffee. Some slapped on earbuds and listened to music. But most voters in line at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover ended up chatting with friends, or making new ones.
Cynthia Kelly is the events manager at the Prince George’s County Sports and Learning Complex. Normally she directs kids to swimming lessons or adults to fitness classes. Thursday she was directing voters to polling booths.
“I’m helping thousands and thousands of voters getting in,” she said. “Words can’t even describe it.”
By Thursday evening, the waits in Rockville were as short as 5 minutes. But in Silver Spring, voters waited as long as 45 minutes.
Early voting continues from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. Friday.
State officials said they plan to send additional machines to early voting sites with the longest lines.
The Maryland State Board of Elections has posted a list of early voting sites.
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WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report. Follow Kate and WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
