Stuck in a long line on voting day? There could be a solution.

Both North Carolina and Georgia encourage early voting and Cherokee County Election Commission Chairman Suzanne Turner wouldn't mind if South Carolina adopted that voting method.

Before that happens, the South Carolina lawmakers must amend election laws to allow early voting.

Early voting has become so popular in North Carolina that more people voted early or by mail than went to their local polling places last Tuesday.

"I would be all for it," Turner said. "It would make it easier for people.

Currently, South Carolina voters must qualify to cast an absentee ballot - some of the more common qualifications include voters 65 and older, out-of-state students, physically impaired individuals, the military and out-ofcounty employment.

Early voting would eliminate those requirements.

"They wouldn't need an excuse to vote early," Turner said. "If you vote absentee now, there has to be a reason."

There are likely abuses in the absentee ballot method since it's impossible for voter registration officials to verify if a voter will be out of town on business.

Early voting would require the county to open three or four early voting places, Turner said.

Early voting also would lessen burden on poll workers, according to Turner.

Cherokee County Voter Registration official Barbara Shackleford also favors early voting.

"Early voting is good," she said. "It probably frees up the process. It makes it more simple for voters. The only concern is to make sure they legally registered prior to the early voting. As long as you plan appropriately, it's a good thing."

According to the final vote tally, 74 percent, or 20,935 of the 28,210 registered county voters went to the polls in last week's presidential election. Absentee ballots made up 3,154 of that total.

Early voting would benefit the groups the absentee voting method was designed to help the most - the elderly and handicapped, Shackleford said. Due to the long lines, some elderly voters had to wait more than a hour to cast their absentee ballot at the Voter Registration Office.