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Are Long Waits Discouraging US Voters from Casting Ballots in Primary
Elections?

Matt Haines

   NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - Abdul Smith, a 42-year-old African American
   resident of Santa Monica, California, made six attempts to vote in his
   state's Democratic primary on March 3. Long lines at polling stations
   defeated him each time.

   "It was the first vote I'd missed since my 18th birthday," Smith told
   VOA. "Every time I went to a new polling location, the line was even
   longer. I couldn't find anywhere with less than a two-hour wait."

   California now allows voters to cast ballots at any polling place in
   the county where they live. Smith works from home,and repeatedly
   attempted to vote between morning meetings. He tried again in the
   afternoon but had to leave to pick up his daughters from school.

   "By then, the lines were stretching down a stairwell, out a building
   and down one-and-a-half city blocks," he said, adding that he intended
   to vote for Massachusetts Sen.Elizabeth Warren.

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