Coweta's early voting turnout heavy during first two days
By SARAH FAY CAMPBELL
sarah@newnan.com
Early voting for the Nov. 6 general election started with a bang Monday, and well over 1,000 Cowetans had cast their ballots by mid-day Tuesday.
A line stretched out the door and down the steps at the Coweta Voter Registration Office on East Broad Street Tuesday. At 2 p.m., the line stretched down the stairs and onto the sidewalk, but just a few minutes later, the line was much shorter. And the voters kept coming.
This election is the first major one since the voter registration office moved into more spacious offices in the old Coweta Probate Court, located just across the hall from the old office.
A larger room is set up especially for early voting. But for this election, with the expected crowds, the old office is being used as well.
“We are busy. It’s moving well,” Hamilton said. “Our new space is wonderful, and it’s working well.”
She said the large turnout was “about what I had expected.”
“I think it’s all gone really smoothly,” Hamilton said Tuesday. “I’ve had some compliments,” she said. Some of her “regular” early voters “like our new setup,” she said.
There were two tents set up on the sidewalk for voters to fill out their paperwork; they then get their IDs checked and got in line.
The weather was perfect for standing out on the sidewalk — sunny and warm, but not too warm. Good weather or not, voters will have to wait outside most of the time. Fire regulations prevent allowing large numbers of people to line up in the hallways, according to Hamilton.
Many of the people interviewed Tuesday were voting early because they won’t be in town on election day.
Eddie and Rosie Fallon will be on a cruise this year, so they were taking advantage of early voting on Tuesday.
“I didn’t know the line would be this long,” Rosie Fallon said. “I just thought we’d be able to walk right in.”
There’s an added bonus to casting your presidential vote early. “I don’t have to listen to any more debates,” said Mrs. Fallon. “I just tune it out.”
Jeff Mills will be out of the country on election day, so he wanted to cast his vote.
“I had time today,” he said.
Janet Ward said it’s possible that she will be out on town on election day, so she wanted to go ahead and vote now, just in case. She’s also got one arm in a cast and there’s always the chance she could break the other one, she said. Not that it would stop her from voting.
“I would crawl if I had to,” Ward said.
“Ditto on that,” said Tommy Knight, who was standing in line next to her.
Early voting continues through Nov. 2. The office is located at 22 East Broad St. in downtown Newnan in the Coweta Administration Building.
Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office will be open from 9 a.m. to noon this Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27.
All registered voters are eligible to vote early. Don’t forget your photo ID.
For more information call 770-254-2615 or e-mail jhamilton@coweta.ga.us .
You can also get information about your registration, polling place and districts, and view your custom sample ballot, at the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page at www.sos.georgia.gov/mvp .
