At Southside Baptist Church on Ironbridge Road in Chesterfield County, this morning's long lines have shrunk.
“I'm not going to lie to you, it was a wait,” says Curtis Sink, the precinct's chief election official.
“The extreme side was three to three and half hours.” The long lines were the result of hundreds of voters who wanted to cast their ballots, not any mechanical problems.
At about 2 p.m., the line was short and things are moving speedily, with voting taking about 10 minutes. Still, Sink is expecting another “hit” this afternoon starting at about 4 p.m.
Election officials told him to prepare for a possible directive from the federal Department of Justice to extend voting hours, but he doesn't expect it or think it's necessary.
Meanwhile, voters are greeted with a sign posted inside Southside Baptist that reads, “Vote Now, Pray Later.” — Amy Biegelsen