EUDORA TIMES STAFF REPORT
Editor’s note: This story will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available. Check back for updates on polling and voter turnout in Eudora.
As early as 6:15 this morning, residents were lined up outside of the Eudora Township Fire Department, waiting in line to cast their ballots in the 2020 election.
With more than half of the precinct's ballots cast in early voting, lines were minimal at the fire station, but voters were eager to get in right when the polls opened at 7 a.m.
Douglas County has seen a surge in voter participation this year, particularly in advanced voting, with an 85% mail-in ballot return rate. In Eudora, some poll workers saw a similar trend throughout Election Day.
Poll worker Steve Ramirez said the polling location had seen around 325 voters as of 11 a.m. Tuesday. He said the usual turnout at the community center is around 200 for the whole day.
“This year is so hard to predict anything that’s going on,” Ramirez said. “People have been really great about wearing a mask, so that’s been really good, and people understand this is the protocol now.”
Ramirez said overall the morning had gone smoothly. He said there was a line from the time the polls opened at 7 a.m., and another one was beginning to form around lunchtime. Volunteers anticipated lines to shorten around 1 p.m., then to pick back up around 5 p.m.
While poll workers did go over some tips on de-escalation during their training ahead of the election, he said the only issue he’s run into so far is concerns over the color of the paper ballot, which come in red or blue. The color does not have any significance to the ballot.
“There’s a high anxiety right now,” he said. “We just need to keep our voice calmer … and just assure them everything’s going to be all right.”
At City Hall, voter turnout was down as of around 2 p.m., with only 133 ballots cast. Poll worker Becky Plate said despite this, she anticipated a surge in voters around 3 p.m. when school got out and throughout the evening as residents got off work.
Plate is one of many first time poll volunteers who wanted to help out in the general election this year.
“The response from the community in Douglas County has gone above and beyond what was called for,” Plate said.
Eudora resident Sheery Regalado went to City Hall to cast her vote today and hopes for a strong turnout from Eudora voters. She said she wanted to vote as a way of "saving the democracy of this country."
“That’s the key, going back to being a kinder nation, without the divisions, without the hate,” Regalado said.
She voted for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and said the convenience of voting in-person contributed to her vote today.
“It just feels more like you’re doing something when you come in an
d put that ballot in yourself,” Regalado said. “I’ve got to thank everybody out there who has gone to the trouble to vote because it shouldn’t be a trouble. It’s a duty. It’s a responsibility.”
First-time voter Michaela Safford said she was excited to cast her vote for the first time, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said the atmosphere seemed more laid back compared to what she was expecting for her first election.
“I prepared for it a lot in my government class so we kind of knew what to expect,” Safford said. “I think it felt good. It’s one of the first things you can do when you turn 18. It was definitely easier than I was expecting.”
Eudora voter Daniel Utley finished filling out his ballot around 11:30 Tuesday morning at the Eudora Community Center. He said he believes voting is his civic duty as an American. He voted for Libertarian presidential candidate Jo Jorgensen and said his top issue this year was maintaining a balanced budget.
Utley’s two children, one in his arms and one walking next to him, left the polls after watching their dad vote with their own “Future Voter” stickers. Utley said it meant a lot to have his children involved in the process as well.
“It was awesome … teaching them how to be an American,” Utley said.
Other voters said their top issues included the economy, the coronavirus, abortion and healthcare, but said they agreed voting is a vital part of the country's democracy.
“It’s important for me to vote every year,” said Eugene Crawshaw, a voter at the Eudora Township Fire Department. “It’s not an option.”
Ramirez said he’s encouraged by how many people have come out to vote with polls still open for several more hours, and he does not expect any problems with polling or counting the votes at the end of the day.
“It’s just great to see that there’s such a great turnout,” Ramirez said. “People do care. People do want to make sure that their voices are heard.”
Reach the Eudora Times staff at eudoratimes@gmail.com.
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