Georgia voters face long lines, malfunctioning voter machines amid hotly contested governors race

pulse

November 6, 2018 10:36 PM

Georgia voters on Tuesday contended with long lines and malfunctioning machines in a state facing one of the most hotly contested gubernatorial races.

Georgia voters participating in the 2018 midterms on Tuesday contended with long lines and malfunctioning voter machines in a state facing one of the most hotly contested gubernatorial races in the country.

Voters in some precincts had to wait up to three hours to cast their ballots.

At a polling place in

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Several polling places in Gwinnett County faced technical difficulties that led to delays on Tuesday, and at least one location will be open to voters later than usual as a consequence, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

This apparent disorganization at Georgia polling places on Election Day comes after weeks of complaints of voter suppression directed at Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp.

Kemp, Georgia's secretary of state, is in charge of overseeing the state's elections. Democrats have accused him of deliberately working to disenfranchise voters as he goes up against Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams, who would be the first African-American female governor in US history if she wins on Tuesday.

53,000 voter registrations were placed on hold by Kemp's office due to the state's "exact-match" system, which can cause registrations to be stalled over minor discrepancies. Of the applications on hold, 70% were reportedly filed by black voters.

Kemp's office has also c

Georgia's problems on Election Day were not an isolated phenomenon. Voters in other states including New York, North Carolina, and Tennessee also faced technical issues and delays at the polls on Tuesday.

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