Polls close, long lines remain in Bluffton area during midterm elections

A line stretched out the door and down the sidewalk outside Pritchardville Elementary School at about 7:15 p.m. Tuesday — 15 minutes after the polls were supposed to close.

Dan Voegele had just finished voting and said his wait in the line was about 2 1/2 hours. But he said he wasn’t frustrated by that wait.

“It is good to see this turnout,” he said.

Voegele believed the line had shortened some since he had entered it. Those at the back of the line were hoping for about a 45-minute wait, but the line had moved little by about 7:30 p.m.

Since the statewide primaries in June, Beaufort County has gained more than 4,000 registered votes, going from 117,150 to 121, 600 voters, according to state polling date.

The elementary school, where residents in Bluffton 2C and 2D precincts vote, is the second-largest polling location in the county with 6,129 registered voters, as of June’s primaries, according to state polling data.

The precincts include the Palmetto Bluff and Cypress Ridge neighborhoods.

Ten voting booths were available there Tuesday.

Donna Sherrill-Daly was the last person in the line. She had a busy day at work and was happy to arrive at the voting location just in time.

“I have to vote,” Sherrill-Daly said. “I need my opinion (heard).”

School issues were most important to Sherrill-Daly in this election, she said. That’s why she tried to convince a woman with six children to stay in the line.

The woman said she was unable to stay because she needed to take care of her kids.

Christy Seidner was near the back of the line as well. She said it was her third attempt to vote today.

There was about a 50 percent voter turnout for the district, Kenneth Einch, a poll worker said.

“In my opinion, it surpasses what we did in the presidential election,” Einch said.

Einch, who has been working elections for more than 60 years, said the good news is that people are interested in this election.

This story was originally published November 6, 2018 at 8:27 PM.