On-The-Ground Reports from CO, FL, IN, NC and OH Offices Note Election Conditions

Source: AARP Press Center

November 4, 2008

Contact: Drew Nannis 202-434-2560 anannis@aarp.org

WASHINGTON - AARP today released updates from its state offices in Colorado, Florida, Indiana, North Carolina and Ohio about voting issues, weather, lines at the polls and potential problems. Further, up to the minute updates are also being posted at www.shaarpsession.org.

AARP representatives from each state below are available for interviews throughout the day today and tomorrow; their statements follow:

Colorado:
“When the polls opened at 7 am lines were already forming,” said Associate State Director Morie Smile. “Downtown Denver Election Commission leadership were calm prior to the polls opening. They moved to a precinct model so traffic should be more manageable than earlier elections. Also, more than 50% have already voted in early voting. The weather isn't going to be a factor on the eastern plains, partly cloudy and a high of 67. In the mountains, snow is flying with 8 to 14 inches of powder expected.”

Florida:
“So far, so good – despite very strong turnout, Florida’s Election Day balloting appears to be going smoothly,” said State Director Lori Parham. “Turnout has been heavy but polling places appear to be handling the load fairly well. Florida elections officials deserve credit for promoting early voting, which almost certainly has helped with congestion today. Our folks are seeing only a few problems with ballots or machines. A few precincts we checked had long lines upon opening, but most of those lines had cleared out by 9 a.m. In one Tampa Bay precinct, an optical scanning machine jammed, causing a two-hour delay in voting. On the other hand, in one Tallahassee precinct, another optical scan machine caught an error by a voter and rejected the ballot. The voter was immediately provided with a fresh ballot, and was able to vote successfully.

“Polls will remain open in most of the state until 7 p.m. Nine Florida Panhandle counties – from the Apalachicola River west to Pensacola -- are in the Central time zone. In this area, polls will remain open until 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time or 8 p.m. Central Standard Time.”

Indiana:
Election Day lines and waits in Indiana’s 5,400 voting precincts varied across the state, but reports suggest generally smooth operations despite predicted record turnouts.
“Hoosiers are responding with gusto to Indiana’s rare turn in the election spotlight,” AARP State Director June Lyle said. “Record numbers of early and absentee ballots have already been cast, and state election officials are predicting total turnout of 65 percent.”

North Carolina:
“Rainy election-day weather in North Carolina doesn’t appear to be dampening turnout,” said State President Diana D. Hatch. “Lines are long in many precincts, but they appear to be moving at a good pace. Election officials had anticipated that some three million votes would be cast on election day, but those estimates have now been scaled back to around two million after extremely heavy early voting in the Tar Heel state. More than 40 percent of North Carolina’s eligible voters – over two and a half million persons – have already cast their ballots. The electorate here has changed significantly with some 400,000 new registrations in the last year, many representing retirees and others who have moved to North Carolina from other states; we’ll have to see what impact that has on long-standing patterns in presidential elections.”

Ohio:
JoAnne Limbach, state president for AARP Ohio who lives in the sprawling and largely rural 18th Congressional District, says she is “nervous” about Ohio, where record turnout is expected and voters are using new electronic voting machines, some for the first time. Reflecting on AARP Divided We Fail efforts and the dozens of voter education events that volunteers and staff have conducted since the primary season got underway in January, Limbach adds, “Thanks to AARP for letting me participate in a positive campaign. Now the real work begins.”

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