Observations of early voting

Early voting in Delaware has been a huge success. 

As evidenced by the long lines at polling places and statistics provided by the Department of Elections, people from all political affiliations have embraced the new form of voting as a way to cast their ballot at a convenient time for them and to avoid long waits on Election Day. 

Moving forward, the state should consider a few changes to improve the process and experience for voters. 

With so many people choosing to vote early, long lines at some polling places have extended beyond the 50-foot exclusion zone for candidates and their supporters. At the Rollins Community Center in Lewes, the line snaking around the building allowed one candidate to stand where he could greet every single voter in line. While not technically illegal, this certainly pushes the boundaries of the spirit of the law, and it creates awkward situations for people who wish to vote without being disturbed. Instead of 50 feet from the door, which at the Rollins facility is in a courtyard at the center of the building, the state should change the wording to say 50 feet from the building itself. 

The state should also consider expanding times and adding locations. Lines formed quickly ahead of the 11 a.m. start time through Oct. 29. Beginning Oct. 30, the voting start time expanded to 7 a.m. State officials should consider a standard voting time to avoid confusion and provide more opportunity for people to vote. 

While there were several locations to vote early, there were some glaring holes. There were no in-town early voting locations for residents of Rehoboth Beach, Milton, Millsboro and Milford. For Rehoboth residents, the nearest location was Midway, while Milton residents had to drive to Lewes, Ellendale or Oak Orchard. In all cases, people had to trek out of town to cast their ballot. Adding polling places in higher-populated areas would make sense, and also likely result in shorter lines at the polls. 

Based on early voting numbers, Delaware could have a strong turnout this presidential election year. When all is said and done, state officials should evaluate the positives and negatives of early voting, and make changes to ensure voting is as easy as possible for all Delawareans.