Long lines expected at the polls

After months of stump speeches, ads and commercials, the showdown for president as well as statewide and local races will come down to what happens at the polls tomorrow.

And the smoothness of what is shaping up as a historic turnout hinges on well prepared voters, poll workers and — patience.

"Just have patience and smile," - that's the unofficial motto for election day, according to Cherokee County Election Commission Chairman Suzanne Turner.

She expects voter turnout to reach an all-time high. Strangely, despite the expected precedent-setting turnout, voter registration for this election is down 100 from the 28,310 county residents who registered to vote in the 2004 presidential election. But a majority of the registered voters this time are expected to vote.

A sizable number already have.

As of Friday morning, approximately 2,609 registered voters have cast absentee ballots either at the Voter Registration Office or by mail, easily topping the 1,300 absentee ballots cast in the 2004 presidential election, according to figures provided by the Cherokee County Voter Registration Office.

"We've basically doubled versus 2004 and we still have (Friday) and Saturday to go," Voter Registration Office official Barbara Shackleford said. "It's a tremendous amount of work. There has to be tremendous patience on the voter and our part. I just can't wait to see what the final number will be."

The Voter Registration Office will be open today until 5 p.m. Unlike most elections here, the greatest suspense is found at the top of the ballot, where Sen. Barack Obama is bidding to become the first African- American president against Republican Sen. John McCain.

Since no challengers filed to unseat the incumbents, there are no competitive races for county offices.

Statewide, U.S. Senator Lindsay Graham is expected to win re-election easily.

There are re-matches for the local State House seats where Bobby Beattie and Danny Stacy will try to tip the scales in their favor against incumbents Olin Phillips and Dennis Moss, respectively. But both incumbents are considered the favorites.

Final preparations for election day started Saturday when election officials distributed voting machines to poll workers.

Although the old adage says to expect the unexpected, Turner said she doesn't anticipate anything out of the ordinary Tuesday.

"There have been no problems with the machines," she said. "We have all the machines out and as many poll workers as the state will pay for."

Turner makes some recommendations for county residents who will head to the polls on Tuesday.

- Check to make sure your voter registration information is up to date and accurate. If you have changed addresses, contact the voter registration office at the Peachtree Centre.

- Voters can't wear stickers or articles of clothing with candidates names on them. If a candidate's name appears on a jersey, voters will be asked to turn the jersey inside out to conceal the name.

- Candidates or supporters of candidates must stay 200 feet away from the entrance to the polling place.

- Voters will have three minutes to complete their ballot. Turner said poll workers will give voters some leeway in that area. Brochures containing information about the local questions and amendments will be available at the polling place so voters can be informed about them before casting their ballots.

- Voters who are in line at 7 p.m. Tuesday will be allowed to vote. Registered voters who arrive at the polling place after 7 p.m. will not be permitted to wait in line to vote.

- Residents who live in the Ravenna-Brown's Mill precinct will vote at White Plains Baptist Church. That's the only polling place change in this election.