Voters wait patiently to cast their ballots

There were long lines, but no short tempers as Mississippi voters stood in line Tuesday.

BREAKING NEWS.GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.I’M ERIN PICKENS THIS ACTUALLYNOON RIGHT NOW ON ELECTION DAYCOMMITMENT 2020 WE HAVE VOTINGPROBLEMS GOING ON THROUGHOUT THEMETRO AREA 16 TO BE PETEY’S ROSSADAMS IS WHERE WE START RIGHTNOW LIVE IN THE METRO ROSS.TELL US WHAT’S HAPPENING.YOU ARE WE ARE AND WE ARE AT ST.JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH ANDGLUCKSTADT AND WE’RE SEEING ASITE THAT FOLKS WHO VOTED HEREFOR YEARS SAY THEY’VE NEVER SEENBEFORE THE MILE OUTSIDE THECHURCH YOU CAN SEE WELL THEN THETHE LINE ACTUALLY OUTSIDE THECHURCH MORE THAN A MILE LONG ANDWE’RE HEARING FROM VOTERS WHOHAVE ALREADY CAST BALLOTS AT ITWILL TAKE AT LEAST A TWO-HOURWAIT BEFORE YOU GET A CHANCE TOGO INSIDE.YOU CAN SEE SOME FOLKS THERE GOTTHEIR STOOLS TAKING A SEAT OTHERFOLKS HAVE FOLDING CHAIRSBECAUSE THEY KNOW IT’S GOING TOBE A LONG WAIT TO GET INSIDE ANDYOU SEE RIGHT HERE ON GLUCKSTADTROW.THAT’S THE THE DRIVEWAY THEREINTO THE CHURCH, BUT THAT’S NOTTHE END OF THE LINE.IT ACTUALLY EXTENDS INTO THEGRASS THERE.YOU SEE ONE GUY THERE AT THERIGHT HERE MORGAN TAKE A LOOK ATTHIS GUY AT THE BACK EAST AT THEEND OF THE LINE AND WE’REHEARING FROM VOTERS THAT ONCETHEY GET INSIDE TO CAST ABALLOT.IT’S A SMOOTH OPERATIONSOMETHING THAT TAKES, YOU KNOWONE OR TWO MINUTES, BUT THEY’REGOING TO HAVE TO WAIT FOR HOURS.JUST TO GET A CHANCE TO EXERCISETHEIR VOTING.WE’VE HEARD FROM SECRETARY OFSTATE MIKE WATSON THAT DEREK’SPREDICTING RECORD.TURNOUT THIS YEAR.NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYCONTESTED PRESIDENTIAL RACE THECONTEST BUT AND THE US SENATEBETWEEN CINDY HYDE-SMITH ANDMIKE HAS BE ALSO THOSECONTENTIOUS BALLOT INITIATIVESINCLUDING WHETHER TO LEGALIZEMEDICAL MARIJUANA IN THE STATEAND OF COURSE WHETHERMISSISSIPPIANS WILL APPROVE ANEW STATE FLAG FOR NOW.WE’RE LIVE IN MADISON COUNTYROSS ADAMS 16 WAPT TEENAGERS.ALL RIGHT.THANK YOU SO MUCH AND NEXT WEWANT TO GO LIVE TO 16 WAPT SSCOTT SIMMONS.HE IS LIVE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE CANSHOW US WHAT’S HAPPENING WHEREHE IS RIGHT NOW.YEAH, RIGHT HERE AT 20 WESLEYANCHURCH IN BONOMO SOWELL ROAD.CHECK OUT THESE LINES WHAT WE’VEBEEN SEEING ALL DAY THIS LINE.THEY’RE PRETTY IMPRESSIVEWRAPPING ALL THE WAY AROUND THECHURCH PARKING LOT AND REACHINGALL THE WAY OUT TO THE ROAD.PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY BEENPARKING ON SIWELL ROAD ANDTAKING THEIR PLOT SPOT IN THELINE.HOPING TO CAST A BALLOT.THEY CRAWLED FOR TRINITYWESLEYAN PASTOR RICHARD MONETTETIMBER THAT FORGIVE YOU TO HIMQUICK INTRODUCTION.NO PROBLEM.GROWLS MAN WHERE YOU EXPECTEDTHIS I WASN’T I MEAN I WASHOPING WE’D HAVE A GREAT VOTERTURNOUT, BUT I WASN’T EXPECTINGTHIS WOW CATER TO THE VOTERS.YOU’VE GOT SOME WATER ICE TEAAND WHATNOT.WE DID.YEAH.WELL, I MEAN I DIDN’T EVEN THINKABOUT IT.WE HAD A HUGE TRUNK OR TREATEVENT THIS WEEKEND AND WE HAD ABUNCH OF WATER LEFT OVER AND ASI’M LOOKING OUT MY WINDOW SEEINGTHE LINES OF THOUGHT IT’S KINDOF LIKE THE LOAVES AND FISHESHAD SOME LEFT OVER AND I GUESSTHAT’S WHY WE TOOK IT AND JUSTJUST SEEING IF I WAS IN LINE FORTWO HOURS.I’D WANT SOME WATER.OH, YEAH.SHE’S THE MOTHER PEOPLE COMINGTHROUGH OFFER.SNACKS AND THINGS OF THAT NATUREA LOT OF GENEROSITY TODAY.I BELIEVE SO.YEAH, DEFINITELY HAVEN’T VOTEDYET.HAVE YOU I HAVE NOT I’VE BEENWATCHING THIS LINE.I GUESS I’M GONNA HAVE TO JUSTENDURE IT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.THAT’S RIGHT ROLL THE WATER OUT.SO WE’RE YEAH.WE’RE ON THE LINE HERE.LET’S GO SEE IF I COULD TALK TOA VOTER AND GET A LITTLE FOLKSCAN TALK TO YOU HOW YOU STAYALIVE.HOW’S SCOTT WILL TELL 16 WE’RELIVE.HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS LONG?I THINK IT’S WONDERFUL.EVERYBODY’S OUT HERE VOTINGSTAYING IN LINE WON’T STAND UP.IT’S GREAT.RIGHT WE EXPECT HOW LONG YOULONNIE THING.WELL IF I CAN CHEAT, I GUESSIT’S GOING TO BE ABOUT AN HOURABOUT AN HOUR AN HOUR AND A HALFAN HOUR AND A HALF.YEAH, SO YOU GOT TO YOU GOT TOBE WILLING TO STAY THERE.SO.I KIND OF WISH I WOULD’VE VOTEDBY MAIL THOUGH.WELL, AT LEAST IT’S GOOD WEATHERFOR IT, HUH?THANKS FOR COMING UP.I’LL TALK TO YOU HOW YOU KNOWYOU GOT TO GET MASK ON SO I HADTO COME SEE YOU.THANK YOU YOU DOING GOOD.HOW ARE YOU?GOOD.HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THISVOTING SITUATION RIGHT NOW?THE LINES ARE LONG, BUT IT’SWORTH IT.WERE YOU EXPECTING THIS KIND OFTURNOUT?YES, YOU JUST BRACE FOR IT.YES.HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT SO MANYPEOPLE TURNING OFF THE BONE?THAT’S A GREAT THING.WE GOT SO MANY PEOPLE COMING OUTTHE VOTE.WE NEED THEE.EVERYBOY VOTES ARE PORT IN THEPARKING LOT AS YOU PARK ON THESTREET.I WISH I COULD WORK AT THE PARTHOUR DOWN HERE.MMM MEASURES YOUR DEDICATION TOVOTING DOESN’T IT?YES, WOULD YOU WANT YOU BEENWELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH THECROWDS AGAIN TO WHAT THEY DO.THEY TRY TO MAINTAIN SOMESPACING HERE ON THE LOT ANDTHEY’VE BEEN ALLOWING ONLY ACERTAIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE INSIDETHE VOTING PRECINCT HERE.THEY HAVE SOME CURBSIDE VOTINGGOING ON RIGHT NOW OVER HERE TOTHE LEFT.THOSE PEOPLE CAN’T COME IN THEPOLLS THAT KIND OF PULL INTO THEDRIVEWAY AND THEY’RE ABLE TOTAKE CARE OF THEIR ABSENTEEVOTING SITUATIONS OR MAKE SURETHAT THEY ARE ARE ON THE RIGHTSPOT 2,000 PEOPLE.IS REGISTERED TO VOTE AT THISPARTICULAR PRECINCT.SO ABOUT 10% LOWER OF 200 HAVEMADE IT THROUGH TO CAST A BALLOTSO FAR BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW ALONG DAY AHEAD AND A LOT OF MOREVOTING WORK TO GO ON HERE ATTRINITY WESTLAND IN BOTTOM LIVEAND BOTTOM SCOTT SIMMONS 16 WAPTNEWS.THANK YOU SO MUCH.GOD NOW WE’VE TAKEN YOU TOMADISON COUNTY.WE’VE TAKEN YOU TO HINDS COUNTYNOW THEY SHOW YOU SOME OF THEISSUES THAT WERE HAPPENING INRANKIN COUNTY SOME OF THE LONGLINES THERE THIS MORNING STARTEDWITH LONG LINES FOR VOTERS ATWORD OF LIFE ON LAKELAND DRIVEIN FLOWOOD.IT IS ONE OF THE LARGER VOTINGPRECINCT SO THEY EXPECTED ALARGE TURNOUT FOR ELECTIONS, BUTWITH THIS BEING AN UNPRECEDENTEDELECTION, THEY WERE SEEING SOMEUNPRECEDENTED LINES THERE ASWELL.THE SAME IS TRUE FOR ST.MARK’S UNITED METHODIST.GEORGE BUSH THIRD AS A POLLINGPLACE ON GRANTS FERRY PEOPLELINED UP HOPING TO BE THE FIRSTIN LINE TO VOTE BEFORE HEADINGTO WORK OR SCHOOL.MOST STILL HAD TO WAIT A WHILEBEFORE GETTING A CHANCE TO CASTA BALLOT ALSO IN RANKIN COUNTYAND OAKDALE BAPTIST CHURCH INBRANDON ONE THING THAT’S CAUSINGTHE LONG LINES AND RANKIN COUNTYAND ELSEWHERE IN THE METROCOVID-19 PRECAUTIONS ARE BEINGTAKEN AT POLLING LOCATIONSTHROUGHOUT THE METRO TO PREVENTTHE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.THAT MEANS SOCIAL DISTANCING OFSIX FEET.AND DISINFECTING OF POLLINGSTATIONS AND COMMON SERVICESAGAIN.WE HAVE OUR REPORTER SPREAD OUTACROSS THE METRO SHOWING YOUWHAT’S HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THEMETRO AND IN DIFFERENT PLACES.WITH THE POLLING PROBLEMS.WE HAVE 16 WAPT SHALEEKA POWELLWHO IS LIVE AT THE MARKAPARTMENTS IN RIDGELAND TO SHOWUS WHAT’S HAPPENING THERESHALEEKA GOOD MORNING AIR ANDALL THROUGHOUT THE MORNING.WE’VE BEEN SEEING LONG LINES,BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE EXCITEDBECAUSE LOOK AT THIS THINGS ARESTARTING TO GET A LITTLE QUIETOUT HERE THAT LINE INITIALLY WASWRAPPED AROUND THE CORNER OFTHIS GAY, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE YOUCAN ACTUALLY SEE THE FINAL POINTOF THIS LINE.SO PEOPLE ARE GOING THEREGETTING IN THERE GETTING THERE.KASSADIN AND THERE ARE STEPPINGOUT SO THEY ARE MOVING ANDTHINGS ARE FLOWING SMOOTHLY HEREAT THE MARK APARTMENTS NOW SOMEMADISON COUNTY VOTERS ACCUSEDELECTION LEADERS OF VOTERSUPPRESSION BECAUSE OF THEPOLLING PRECINCT CHANGE THECHANGE AFFECTS MORE THAN 2,500VOTERS WHO HAVE BEEN VOTING ATTHE REC CENTER IN RIDGELAND ANDNOW THEY ARE HERE AT THE MARKAPARTMENTS.SO AGAIN, WE HAVEN’T SEEN LONGLINES, BUT THIS IS THE SHORTESTTHAT WE’VE SEEN IN ANY LINE ALLDAY.SO IF YOU CAN GIVE YOURSELF MORETHAN ENOUGH TIME TO GO TO YOURPRECINCT BECAUSE YOU JUST DON’TKNOW YOU MAY HAVE A SHORT LINELIKE WE’RE SEEING HERE OR YOUMAY HAVE AN EXTREMELY LONG LINESO PLAN ACCORDINGLY AND MAKESURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TOVOTE AND THEN GO AHEAD AND DOWHAT YOU HAVE TO DO AFTER THATFOR NOW IN RIDGELAND SHALEEKAPOWELL 16 WAPT NEWS.THANK YOU SO MUCH SHALEEKA ANDNEXT WE WANT TO GO LIVE TO JAXAND THAT’S WHERE WE FIND 16 WAPTIS MARCUS HUNTER AND WE STARTEDOUR MORNING THIS MORNING DURINGTHE MORNING SHOW WITH SHALEEKALIVE AT CHRIST UNITED METHODISTCHURCH.THEY WERE LINED UP HERE AT FIVEO’CLOCK THIS MORNING.VERY VERY LONG LINE.ALL THE WAY OUT TO OLD CANTONROAD MARCUS.WHAT DOES THAT LINE LOOKING LIKENOW?STILL LOG ARE RIGHT NOW, YOUKNOW THE INTERESTING THING ABOUTTHE LINE FROM THIS MORNING ATAROUND FIVE O’CLOCK IN SEVENHOURS LATER HERE AROUND NOON ISTHE TEMPERATURES AS WE SAWEARLIER.IT WAS COLD FOLKS WERE BUNDLEDUP.WELL NOW IS MUCH WARMER OUTSIDE.THE SUN HAS COME OUT ANDACTUALLY YOU HAVE POLLINGMEMBERS AND ALSO MEMBERS OF THENATIONAL PAN-HELLENIC COUNCILCOUNCIL WHO ARE OUT HERE HAND.WATER COMING OUT TO ATTENDINGOUT STACKS BECAUSE HE HAS GOTTENMUCH WARMER.YOU SEE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN OUTHERE SINCE THE TEMPERATURES WERECOLDER HAVE TO START TO TAKE OFFSOME OF THEIR LAIRS JUST SO THEYDON’T GET TOO HOT WITH THE WAYTHAT THE HEAT HAS COME IN HERELATER ON IN THE DAY, BUT ALSOAGAIN THE LINES ARE STILL LONGNOW FOLKS THAT I TALKED TO OUTOF HERE SAY THAT THEY DON’T MINDTHE LONG LINES.THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TOGET DISCOURAGED ONCE THEY GOTOUT HERE AND GOT IN THE LONGLINE FOR THERE ARE THOSE FOLKSSAY THAT THE LINE IS MOVINGQUICKLY.RENEE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TOMOVE AND SO THEY FEEL MUCHBETTER ABOUT HAVING TO STAND INTHE LINE.AND ALSO WE’RE SEEING A LOT OFFOLKS HAVE ANY HAVING SPIRITEDCONVERSATIONS PEOPLE GETTING TOKNOW ONE ANOTHER ADJUSTMENT.ENDING IN THIS LINE.SO EVERYBODY’S OUT HERE FOR THESAME PURPOSE TO EXERCISE THEIRRIGHT TO VOTE.SO THAT’S ONE THING THAT ALLTHESE FOLKS OUT HERE HAVINGCOMING AND YOU KNOW, WE Y’ALLHAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON AND SOWE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER ONTHOSE LIKE THINGS THAT BEING APART OF OUR DEMOCRACY IS ONE OFTHEM FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE OUTHERE AT LEAST BUT YES THIS LINEIT IS DEFINITELY STILL LONG.IT HAS GOTTEN A LITTLE SHORTERSINCE WE GOT HERE.THIS IS AROUND THE TIME OF DAYWHERE IF YOU’RE GOING TO COMEAND VOTE IF YOU WANT THOSESHORTER LINES AS MIGHT BE THEBEST TIME OF THE DAY TO DO ITBECAUSE EARLY IN THE MORNING YOUHAD A LOT OF FOLKS AND WHENFOLKS GET OFF WORK AROUND THREEFIVE O’CLOCK, YOU’RE GOING GETTHAT RUSH COMING SO IF YOU WERECONCERNED ABOUT THE LONG LINESEARLIER THIS MORNING WHEN YOUSAW THE NEWS AND DIDN’T REALLYWANT TO COME OUT THERE NOW.IT’S THE TIME TO COME AND AGAINTHE WEATHER IS WARMER.THEY’RE GIVING OUT WATER THATGIVING US THAT HUMAN SAW ONELADY READING A BOOK.WE’VE SEEN PEOPLE OUT HERE WITHTHEIR OWN CHAIRS SO THEY CAN SITDOWN WHEN THEY NEED TO SO MAKESURE YOU BRING SOMETHING OUTHERE FOR YOURSELF TO A KEEP YOUI GUESS ENTERTAINED AND IF YOUARE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THATDON’T LIKE TO STAND FOR A LONGTIME BRING A LAWN CHAIR IF YOUCAN THE LINE IS MOVING, BUT ITDIDN’T STOP LONG ENOUGH.FOR YOU TO SIT DOWN AND TAKE ABREAK IF YOU HAVE TO DO THAT,BUT WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TOHAVE SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING.BUT BOTH YOU ARE OUT HERE VOTINGIS STANDING IN THESE LINES TOMAKE SURE THAT THEY GET A CHANCETO BE A PART OF DEMOCRACY ANDCAST THEIR BALLOTS HERE ALL THISELECTION DAY, BUT FOR NOW LIVEHERE IN A JACKSON MARCUS HUNTERNOT TO YOU AND DIMENSION TOBEING SHORT LINES RIGHT NOW.WE KNOW IT IS LUNCH TIME RIGHTNOW.SO A LOT OF PEOPLE TAKE THEIRLUNCH AND THEY USUALLY GO ANDVOTE BECAUSE THEY FIGURE THEYCAN GET IN AND GET OUT.BUT OF COURSE EVERYONE IF YOU’REWATCHING RIGHT NOW YOU SEE HLONG THOSE LINES ARE SO PLEASETHAT IN MIND WE KNOW A LOT OFCOMPANIES A LOT OF BUSINESSESGAVE THEIR WORKERS TIME OFFTODAY OR THEY’RE GIVING THEMTIME OFF GIVE THEM THE DAY OFFTO GO AND VOTE.SO AGAIN, PLEASE EXERCISE YOURRIGHT TO VOTE AGAIN.KEEP IT RIGHT HERE ON 16 WAPTAND WAPT.COM WE’LL HAVE LIVEREPORTS FOR YOU AT THE TOP ANDBOTTOM OF THE HOUR.YOU CAN ALSO GO TO OUR WEBSITEOR OUR APP