PA: Voting Unlikely to Need Extension

By Pamela Constable
With less than 90 minutes to go before the polls were scheduled to close at 8 p.m. in Pennsylvania, state election officials predicted a near-record voter turnout of 80 percent or more. They said lines at the polls had been heavy all day, but that local and county officials had handled the crush smoothly and that voters had been exceptionally patient.

"The voters are still very excited despite the long waits. We really appreciate their patience and cooperation," said Rebecca Halton, the deputy spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Secretary of State's office.

Halton said she did not know whether there would be either the logistical need or the legal possibility of extending the voting time, which would require a formal petition to the state Court of Common Pleas. She also said voters should be reassured they will not be turned away as long as they are in line by 8 p.m.

There are more than 8.75 million registered voters in Pennsylvania. The state has not seen a turnout of 80 per cent in the past two decades. Other than that extraordinary possibility, Halton said, "there is nothing terribly exciting to report."