After Early Rush, Takoma Park Lines Diminish at Mid-Morning

At mid-morning, a line that had been around the block at Piney Branch Elementary School in Takoma Park had disappeared. By 9:30 a.m., 612 people had voted. Of those, 12 were registered Republicans.

Precinct judge Anne Sergeant credited extra voting machines, a relatively short ballot and a full staff of 12 volunteers for a smooth morning. Wait times extended up to an hour soon after the polls opened at 7 a.m. but quickly shrunk to the 30- to 45-minute range typical of other election years, Sergeant said.

"We usually don't get a full complement" of volunteer poll workers, she said.

-- Steve Hendrix