Voting Lines in Severna Park Long, But Spirited

Bonnie Counselman will be 65 in February and voted for the first time at the Severna Park Library Tuesday afternoon.

“I just think it is important now,” Counselman said. “There are a lot more issues that pertain to me like health care and social security. And really just the whole job situation has really affected me.”

Counselman picked an interesting election to cast her first vote. She was heading into the library around 11:30 a.m., and the average wait time was at just about an hour.

Dale Rodriguez, a former election judge, finished voting at Severna Park Elementary School just after 11 a.m. and said she too waited for an hour.

“The whole thing took a little over an hour,” Rodriguez said. “I used to be a chief judge and I have never seen the lines this long. I couldn’t find a place to park—but that’s a good problem—people are out voting.”

Ken Hoffman was the fourth person in line to vote this morning at the library and said Barack Obama would earn his vote.

“I think he has done a very good job so far especially given all the problems he inherited in the beginning,” Hoffman said. “I think if you asked most people honestly they will tell you they are better off now than they were four years ago. I really feel that Mitt Romney is not the person we can pick to lead this country.”

Long lines have been a trend all day, even when the polls opened. An 18-year-old first-time voter at Severna Park Middle School said she waited about 40 minutes. Other voters had similar experiences.

Sharon Harty said she waited for about an hour at Severna Park Elementary this morning.

“I went with my husband at 7 this morning and waited about 50 minutes,” Harty said. “That is the longest I have ever waited; however, when I had kids I used to go midday.”

One man at Jones Elementary this morning said he has been voting for over 30 years and has never waited in line. However, he said it was still "well worth it" this time.