Early option proves beneficial for some Trumbull Countians

STAFF report

WARREN — To Peggy Summitt of Cortland, being able to vote early this year was a great benefit even if she had to wait an hour to do it.

“I think it’s great that they’re doing this,” she said after voting Monday afternoon at the Trumbull County Board of Elections on Youngstown-Warren Road.

She was one of about 25,000 people in the county who voted early this year either by mail or by filling out a paper ballot at the elections board office. Trumbull County has 149,261 registered voters.

Summitt was one of several people interviewed at the office who said they drove by several times but left because the lines were out the door and around the side of the building.

For people who think they might be busy on Tuesday, such early voting is a way to participate in an election they might not otherwise get to, she said.

Chief Deputy Ernie Cook of the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Department, standing guard near the prospective voters Monday, said the office was busy all weekend, with hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

He heard it was taking an average of one hour for most voters.

Rasheeda Carter of Warren said she voted early this election instead of going to her assigned polling place because of a problem she had during the primary election, when she was told she had gone to the wrong polling place.

Carter has lived in Warren only a short time, she said.

Poll workers told her she would have to vote provisionally, meaning she would be allowed to vote, but the elections board would have to look at her ballot after the election and determine whether all or part of her votes would count.

By voting at the elections board, Carter said she knew workers would be able to give her a ballot for the right precinct.