Lines of residents waiting to vote outside of the Trussville Municipal Building on November 8, 2016.
Election officials in Jefferson County say voter turnout has been heavy today and could surpass the totals in the previous General Election.
“Turnout is heavy in all aspects of the county,” says Barry Stephenson head of the Jefferson County Board of Registrars. “It was especially heavy this morning as people were going in to work and we expect the drive time between 4 and 7 to be equally heavy.”
About 305,000 people – 70 percent of the registered voters in Jefferson County—cast ballots in 2012. Stephenson predicts this year’s total may be higher, based on the number of calls to his office for polling information and voter identification requests.
For those voting Tuesday afternoon, he has this advice. “There could be lines. We encourage everyone to show a little patience because we are seeing and hearing of a big, big turnout in Jefferson County.”
Stephenson says he has not received reports of serious problems with voting machines or the voting process in Jefferson County. He also says he has not had reports of voter intimidation, something that has been a concern in some parts of the country.
