Hours-long waiting lines have been observed across Georgia on Monday as voters gathered around polling stations to take part in the first day of early voting in the state.
The videos and photos circulating online show how mostly masked people are sticking to a place in extended queues, while in compliance with social distancing rules.
Some of them even brought folding chairs with them, probably inspired by a similar experience among voters in Virginia, where early voting kicked off in September.
The problem was observed in Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Gwinnett and Floyd counties, where some people reportedly had to wait as long as 12 hours to cast their ballot.
According to The Guardian, in some places, such as State Farm Arena in Atlanta, the long-wait was caused by reported problems with the electronic pollbooks that are used to check in voters. In Cobb County, the lack of space in rooms and in parking was blamed for the extreme queues, according to Janine Eveler, the county’s elections and registration director.
In the United States, more than 35 states will offer early in-person voting from 5 to 30 days prior to the Election Day on 3 November. According to the US Election Project, more than 10 million Americans have already casted their vote.