At right is the view from my spot in line at Jacksonville's First Baptist Church this morning at about 7:05. I arrived just as the polls were opening, and by the time I cast my ballot 20 minutes later 97 other voters had slid their ballots into the optical scanning machine.
My father, who lives in Saks, called to report he was the 148th voter at the Church of the Covenant in Lenlock this morning, which he says is many more people than he expected to see. He was on his way to work at The Donoho School, which is being used as a polling place. Students will eat lunch outdoors in today's beautiful weather while ballots are cast in the cafeteria.
As I headed for the newsroom this morning, cars lined Garnder Drive around Jacksonville's Glenwood Meadows polling place, and the parking lot was full at the National Guard Armory.
Features Editor Laura Tutor adds the following from Hodges Community Center in Golden Springs:
I've been voting in Anniston for 16 years and have never seen such a turnout.
My polling place -- Golden Springs Community Center -- is about two blocks from my house. At 7:02 this morning, cars were parked all along Spring Valley Road and along both sides down some of the side streets.
About 100 people were already in line, and more traffic was backed up on the residential roads leading to that area. I had to get the kids to school, so I abandoned my traditional plan of voting first thing in the morning. I'll be back this afternoon when I have time to wait in any line.
George Smith reports a two-block line in Saks, and he was the 200th person in line this a.m. He says, however, that the lines are moving fast and it took him only 15 minutes to cast his ballot.
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