VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — People packed their patience as they waited to vote at their local registrar’s offices.
As election officials across Virginia sent out thousands of absentee ballots Friday, they also opened some polling locations for in-person early voting. People can cast their early ballot until Oct. 31.
“We decided to get it out of the way and cast our vote now,“ Bonny Deglow said.
Despite the rain, people had their umbrellas up as they waited in line for more than an hour. Deglow says the turnout was impressive.
By the time 13News Now talked with her, she had waited 30 minutes to vote and wasn’t even halfway through the line. She said her typical polling place is usually quicker.
During the coronavirus pandemic, she said she expected a safer line.
“People are closer than six feet and not wearing masks and there are too many of us. It’s not what I expected,” Deglow explained. “I feel fine, I’m not nervous. I would go home, but it’s not what I thought it would be.”
Many people said they wanted to vote sooner rather than later.
“Well, I wasn’t doing nothing so I thought, yeah I’ll come out here and stand out for two hours than be at home. I’ll be right here,” one voter said.
After the wait, people said the process inside was seamless.
“You go in, you show your ID card and get a ballot and go do it. It took me longer to fill out the ballot than it did to get it,” Rogers Stephens said.
If you don’t want to vote early, you can always wait until Election Day on November 3.
The Virginia Beach Registrar's Office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.