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Early Voters Mob Fla. Polls

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 20, 2008 5:36 PM CDT

(Newser) – The start of early voting in Florida today brought hordes to polling places, forcing voters to contend with long lines and voting machine failures, the Miami Herald reports. Miami-Dade and Broward counties added a million registered voters each to their rolls this year. The crowds signaled the usefulness of the state’s early voting provision, started in 2002, but the robust turnout still peeved some.

"I think it's ridiculous," said a man who spent 40 minutes in line because of computer problems. "They've had plenty of time to prepare for this, and they should have worked on those machines and made sure they were working yesterday." But many others saw the turnout as heartening, and some said they wouldn't have minded a longer delay. “I would wait 10 hours to vote for Obama,” one fervent supporter said.

Voters wait to check in before they vote in Miami today. The polls opened for the first day of early voting in the state of Florida.
Voters wait to check in before they vote in Miami today. The polls opened for the first day of early voting in the state of Florida.   (AP Photo)
Voters line up at a polling station in a fire station to vote in Florida's presidential primary today in Coral Gables.
Voters line up at a polling station in a fire station to vote in Florida's presidential primary today in Coral Gables.   (AP Photo)
Rev. R. B. Holmes, left, and Florida A & M President James Ammons, right, participate in an early voting rally at the Leon County Court House in Tallahassee, Fla.
Rev. R. B. Holmes, left, and Florida A & M President James Ammons, right, participate in an early voting rally at the Leon County Court House in Tallahassee, Fla.   (AP Photo)
Early voters stand in line to cast their early ballots in the Florida election. Earlier in the day, people had waited up to four hours after mechanical problems caused delays in some voting machines.
Early voters stand in line to cast their early ballots in the Florida election. Earlier in the day, people had waited up to four hours after mechanical problems caused delays in some voting machines.   (AP Photo)
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