Cole County voters get to the polls early on Election Day

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Cole County voters packed local polling places as they opened and into the afternoon Tuesday.

The Cole County Clerk's Office said Blair Oaks High School and Taos Knights of Columbus Hall were two of the most trafficked polling places.

"We've had a few lines here and there, actually looks worse than it is because everybody's social distancing so when you spread 6 feet apart, it makes the line look a lot longer than it actually is," Cole County Clerk Steve Korsmeyer said. "But everything is going pretty smooth and pretty steady."

Korsmeyer said poll workers encountered one issue Tuesday morning with a ballot machine.

"The electric cord went out, so I had to come back and reset the machine," Korsmeyer said. "They're currently putting in the ballots that were voted while the machine was down, getting it all brought up to date and everything should be fine after they do that."

He also said about 10,000 absentee ballots were turned in before this week. The clerk's office will process those ballots Tuesday afternoon, along with ballots cast during a special voting event for people in quarantine because of COVID-19, Korsmeyer said.

Cole County has about 54,000 registered voters.

Poll workers put down pieces of tape as social distancing markers at Blair Oaks High School and a sneeze guard was installed between voters and election judges.

"We ask everybody to wear masks," Korsmeyer said. "I've seen some people have, some people haven't, same way with our election judges but just wear your mask and you can bring your own pen if you want to."

Polls close at 7 p.m. but Korsmeyer said anyone in line at 7 p.m. will not be turned away.

Stay with ABC 17 News for more on this developing story.