THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 6, 1996 TAG: 9611060378
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY JEFFREY S. HAMPTON, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 87 lines
Forget about voter apathy.
The fire stations, schools and libraries that served as polling places in northeastern North Carolina overflowed with people willing to wait up to 2 1/2 hours to cast their vote.
In Pasquotank County, all precincts reported a heavy turnout, but none greater than Providence Township, where there were 100 votes per hour. Lines snaked around the gymnasium of Northside Elementary School and down the hall to the other side of the school.
After a wait of more than two hours at supper time, voters jokingly suggested opening the cafeteria.
Poll volunteers said the heavy lines began about 7 a.m. and continued all day.
``Board members are saying it's the most they've ever seen before,'' said Glenda Crane, director of the Pasquotank Board of Elections handling her first presidential election. ``We're overwhelmed.''
In Pasquotank, some of the problem came from people coping with the relatively new computerized voting machines. Armed with a metal pencil, voters confront a blank screen and must insert a cartridge before running through the voting process. The computer displayed seven different screens, each filled with choices for candidates and issues. Once completed, voters had to press a red button to register their choices, then remove the cartridge. Several forgot to press the red button, causing some delays.
Also, a few machines broke down in the county's 12 voting sites, but a technician repaired them immediately, said Crane.
Dare County also saw a much heavier turnout than usual.
``The lines are out the door, and they are calling for more machines,'' said Carlisle Davis, chairman of the board of elections. ``This is the most we've seen in a while, including the last presidential election.''
Voter turnout in Perquimans County was double the normal amount, said Eula Forbes, director of the Board of Elections there. But the lines were still relatively small and the wait was only about 10 minutes. Perquimans County uses paper ballots.
``The biggest problem we're having is people walking off with our pencils,'' said Forbes.
Camden County had an extremely heavy turnout, said Helen McPherson, director for Camden County Board of Elections. By noon, 38 percent of Camden voters had cast their ballot, far ahead of the pace in past elections.
In Chowan County, the lines stretched out the door and people had to wait 20 to 30 minutes to vote, said Rebecca Lowe, director of the Board of Elections. Chowan uses paper ballots that are tabulated electronically.
Voting in Currituck County was strong, but not overpowering as in other counties, said James Haynes, chairman of the Board of Elections.
There was no immediate report on what prompted the big turnout, which was echoed in other sections of the state. The actual turnout won't be known until later today.
The historical average for North Carolina presidential elections from 1972 to 1992 is 65.9 percent of registered voters, Gary Bartlett, executive director of the state Board of Elections, told the Associated Press.
The top mark occurred in 1984 and 1992, when there was 68.4 percent. The lowest point was in 1988, when it hit 62.1 percent.
Bartlett said a 70 percent turnout this year was not out of the question.
``I think it's a combination of several factors,'' Bartlett said. ``There is no main thing except we are happy to see that people are taking an interest in voting.''
The weather also cooperated. Skies were gray over much of the state Tuesday, but only light rain was reported in some areas, including Charlotte. Bartlett said he heard figures like 75 percent from Dare County.
``I would have to say people are voting because of presidential, U.S. Senate and governor's races, and also some hotly contested congressional races in North Carolina,'' he said. MEMO: The Associated Press contributed to this reportThe Associated
Press contributed to this report ILLUSTRATION: DREW C. WILSON PHOTOS/The Virginian-Pilot
The lines were long at Northside Elementary School in Elizabeth City
as voters waited to cast their ballots Tuesday.
Dylan and Evan Shields didn't seem to mind all the vote-casting
going on around them as the[sic] wait for their mother, Kelly
Shields to vote Tuesday in Kill Devil Hills. In many places, poll
volunteers said the heavy lines began about 7 a.m. and continued all
day.
KEYWORDS: ELECTION NORTH CAROLINA VOTING by CNB