Rep. Geraldine Thompson (D-Orlando) on Friday, expressed her outrage over the long wait times at polling sites and urged the Orange County Library System to allocate more space for voting machines at early voting locations.
Thompson, who visited early voting sites in West Orange County, became concerned about long lines and waits of up to four hours. In some instances, she said, elderly people were exhausted and became dehydrated while waiting on line to vote.
Thompson said, she was informed by Orange County Supervisor of Elections, Bill Cowles, libraries throughout Orange County provide limited space for voting operations during the days of early voting. This being the case, fewer voting machines, on account of space constraints, result in longer lines.
Rich Maladecki, chair of the Orange County Library System, was also contacted to address the matter, but this too, met with negative results. There was no expansion of space provided for early voting.
“I am very concerned that, with reduced early voting days, implemented by the Republican-led legislature earlier this year, this could lead to suppression of Democratic voters,” she said.
Thompson wants to address the issue once elected to the Florida Senate. She wants to expand early voting sites to include community centers and other locations that would provide more space for early voting equipment and staff.
