From wet ballots causing errors to locked storage units preventing early birds from even casting their votes, it would appear that just getting to one's polling place in the US is not always enough.
According a US Justice Department release, officials have been deployed to some 35 jurisdictions in 19 states to ensure laws protecting the voting rights of minorities are enforced and upheld. Despite officials being present if those particular issues arise, cities such as New York City and Detroit needed to make some different calls for their issues.
Detroiters looking to vote first thing in the morning before going about their days were faced with both confusion and misinformation. According to local media reports, it took an hour and a half for one Motor City location to begin processing votes due to alleged miscommunication concerning the machine's whereabouts (it turned out to be in a locked closet).
With voters being forced to wait in long lines while it rained, NYC's Manhattan and Brooklyn both found themselves facing numerous errors and jammed machines caused by wet paper ballots, according to at least two members of the NYC Council.
The city's board eventually sent mechanics to each site, but with moist machines holding up lines, it's unlikely everyone waiting in line had free time to spare and was able to wait around.
