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    Polls show the number of voters is potentially in record numbers
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    Polls show the number of voters is potentially in record numbers

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    4 minutes, 58 seconds Read

    Disbelief, shock and some frustration were commonplace Friday as Delawareans encountered long lines at the polls on the first day of early voting in the state.

    The number of people voting in Delaware will almost certainly exceed previous early voting records, according to a spokesman for the Department of Elections.

    “Yes, early voting sites across the state are incredibly busy today,” said Cathleen Hartsky-Carter, a spokeswoman for the Department of Elections.

    As of 3 p.m. Friday, Hartsky-Carter said 14,502 people had voted early. In comparison, a total of 18,530 people voted in the entire 10 days of early voting in the 2024 primary.

    Early voting in Delaware mirrors national numbers

    Delaware's high voter turnout is consistent with nationwide figures showing that millions of Americans have cast their votes every day since early voting began – either in person or by returning mail-in ballots.

    As of Thursday, nearly 30 million Americans had voted early — either in person or by mail — according to the University of Florida Election Lab, which tracks the numbers daily.

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    Thousands of Delawareans went to the polls on the first day of early voting

    More than 6,000 Delawareans voted in the first two hours of early voting.

    More than 100 million people voted in early 2020, with a total of about 158 ​​million votes cast in a race won by Democrat President Joe Biden.

    More: Republicans narrowed Democrats' lead in early voting. What it means for the race.

    Surprise meets excitement in long lines in Delaware

    Karole Meade, of Bear, was among the Delaware voters who went to the Department of Elections Warehouse at 220 Lisa Drive early Friday afternoon and found a line wrapped around the building in the New Castle area.

    “I’m shocked,” she said shortly after moving to the end of the line.

    In previous elections, Meade said she arrived, voted and then left.

    “I’ve never stood in line,” she said, adding that she was happy to see people outside.

    Meade added she is willing to wait in line as long as necessary.

    In Dover, more than 100 voters stood in line at Crossroad Church on Route 13 across from Walmart around 12:30 p.m. Friday.

    At the end of the line that stretched from the door to the back of the parking lot was Lydia Young.

    “I’ve lived here for 17 years and I’ve never seen it like this,” Young said. “I usually vote on Election Day, but since it was a special election and I saw it on the news, I wanted to vote early.”

    Jim Murray was also surprised by the number of voters Friday and said he was very interested in this election, especially the presidential election.

    “I didn’t want to wait until November 5th,” Murray said.

    One of the people helping direct drivers to available parking spaces said the flow of voters had been steady since the doors opened.

    Where can you vote early?: Here are the polls as early voting begins in Delaware

    Impatience with long lines, political divide

    On Friday afternoon, a two-and-a-half-hour line to vote in Newark snaked around the Hudson State Service Center.

    Voters stood in line and chatted with each other as the line grew into the parking lot and beyond. Some voters had wrappers and coffee cups from the Wawa across the street.

    Reproductive rights was the top priority issue for most voters, including Stephanie Duncan of Newark, who said she was pregnant with her first daughter. While this was the most common topic of discussion in line, many people had their own personal reasons for voting.

    Wendy Valdes of Newark said she is retiring from nursing in December after 52 years and is worried about Social Security and Medicare.

    “I want to benefit from everything I contributed,” she said.

    Others simply value fulfilling their civic duty.

    “Voting is a privilege,” said Mei Johnson of Newark, who said she was adopted from China as a child.

    Voters on both sides of the spectrum wanted unity.

    Dennis LaFazia of Bear said he doesn't want a riot regardless of who wins the election, and Ingrid Bostic, who lives near Newark, said she wishes America could come together.

    “I want to move on with my life,” said Tracy Baker of Newark. “I feel super full about the whole thing.”

    The closer you get to the actual polling stations; Voters became even more frustrated as they stood in line.

    One voter who ended up at the front of the line, Sylvie Monette of Newark, said she was frustrated by how few polling places were open.

    “More polls are open,” she said when asked what topic concerns her.

    Sussex County outperforms elsewhere in Delaware in voter turnout

    Sussex County voters performed strongly in the first two hours of voting, outperforming their two northern neighbors by more than 1,000 votes.

    A Trump supporter and a Harris supporter loudly fired shots at each other while waiting in line to vote at American Legion Post 28 in Millsboro. The Trump supporter then gave a speech about how proud he was of everyone who came out to vote, no matter who they voted for, and the whole line applauded.

    Barbara and Brian Ferrenz, Democratic volunteers for the 41st House District, were on site in Millsboro all day. When the doors opened at 11 a.m., the line was already moving through the parking lot, they said. The line of about 125 people at 1:15 p.m. was the shortest they had seen all day.

    Some of those voters caused a traffic jam on Route 24 in the area.

    Charles and Trudy Frederick said they were voting early for the first time because they knew it would be crowded and they wanted to make sure their votes counted.

    A woman in line said she was traveling for the next few weeks, so Friday was simply the best time for her to vote.

    Several people shrugged when asked why they voted so early.

    “It’s just something to do,” one woman said. “What a beautiful day.”

    Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or [email protected].

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