Local

Shorter waits can be found for early voters

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Thursday, 15,000 people voted early in Mecklenburg County.

Many people waited in a two-hour line at the University Library.

Elections Director Michael Dickerson wants to get the work out that there are plenty of voting locations with a much shorter wait.

Near University Library, the Cone Center at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte is just 2 miles away and half as many people have voted there.

The number of voting machines can impact the wait time. Morrison Library has been swamped and has nine voting machines. Nearby Marian Diehl Rec Center has 12 machines to move people more quickly.

The disparity is even bigger in south Charlotte. South County Library on Rae Road has just eight machines. The Gibson Building 2 miles away at Ballantyne Corporate Park has 20.

Some voters at South County Library told Eyewitness News they come here out of habit. Then they were told the wait was 90 minutes. Word spread about shorter lines.

The lines appeared longer at Ballantyne Corporate Park, but because of the extra machines, the lines moved fast. It took only 15 minutes.

Dickerson said voters can call ahead of check the Board of Elections Facebook or Twitter page before deciding which location to try.

“If they call and say we have short lines, we will post that immediately so folks can look and see,” Dickerson said.