Local Counties Report High Early Voter Turnout On First Day
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WHEELING - If the number of people turning out to cast the first votes in the 2024 general election is any indication, there is a lot of interest in this year's political contests.
More than two dozen people were standing in line waiting to vote in Ohio County when polls opened to begin "no excuses" early voting in the Mountain State Wednesday morning.
By the end of the day at 5 p.m., 606 had cast early ballots in Ohio County.
Other counties in the Northern Panhandle also reported high voting numbers on Tuesday. By late afternoon, Marshall County had 406 early voters; Brooke County, 344; Hancock, 276; Wetzel, 160, and Tyler, 145.
Those counties all reported long lines out the door with still an hour left to vote.
Many of those standing in line in Ohio County indicated they had great concerns about the upcoming election and the future of our country.
"I'm here for democracy," said Rick Altman of Wheeling. "We have two opposing candidates (for U.S. president) and one isn't a fan of democracy, but is more for totalitarianism.
"(Democratic Vice President) Kamala Harris seems to look out for the whole country."
Virginia Molnar of Wheeling echoed his thoughts.
"I'm all about saving democracy," she said. "If you listen to the rhetoric, we're a nation on edge. "
Standing closest to the door was Paul Lee of Wheeling.
"I think it's my duty (to vote)," he said. "The candidates they have (running for president) in this country... I don't think the one person is capable anymore."
Jerry Watkins of Wheeling said he votes early "all the time."
"I want to do it to get it done," he said. "You have to get it done. I don't want to have to stand in line (at a polling location) on Election Day."
Others in line noted "if you don't vote, you don't have a right to complain" about decisions made by government leaders.
Attorney Don Tennant, solicitor for the Ohio County Commission, stopped by with an intent to vote early. After seeing the initial line he decided to wait until later.
"I want to demonstrate the usefulness of early voting," he explained. "The more usefulness is shown, the more it guarantees we will retain the right to early vote."