Surge of early voters pack Board of Elections

CLEVELAND - The last rush of early voters brought celebrities like Stevie Wonder and Vivica A. Fox to East 30th Street and Euclid Avenue, home to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

"I'm fired up!," said Stevie Wonder as he pumped-up the crowd. And everyone waiting to vote responded with a loud, "Ready to go!"

The energy surrounding voters stepped-up a notch Saturday as we neared one day closer to the 2012 Presidential Election, but what was even more unexpected to some were the lines stretching around the Board of Elections Building. Voters attempting to beat the Tuesday deadline packed the line making it stretch all the way down Euclid Avenue. 

Streets were blocked and traffic was jammed!

Talking on the phone, NewsChannel5 caught one voter saying on her cell phone, "I'm standing out in freezing cold weather, no gloves, never seen anything like this before!"

Jane Platten, Director of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections said, "These days are going to be the highest numbers of voters coming down here it's the last weekend before elections, people are getting increasingly excited, and this is when they want to come down and vote. "

Platten continued telling NewsChannel5, at least 1,400 people voted by 11 a.m with an 8 a.m. start.  Earlier Saturday afternoon, Platten said she was expecting around 4-thousand to cast their vote on just Saturday alone with many voters saying they are not willing to wait until November 6th.

"Because on the 6th I'm going to be really busy," said Carmen Pagan. Tracy Lee had almost the same answer saying, "I work so, during the week day it's kind of hard."

As long as the lines were Saturday, some voters said they expect the wait to be even worse on Election Day.

Refusing to leave and go home, Monica Starks told NewsChannel5, "... we're not warm enough, but we're still doing it because this is our obligation."

Sunday, November 4th, the Board of Elections will have early voting hours from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Monday, November 5th, they will be back open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Platten said voters will need to bring needed materials and, "Pack your patience because these lines will get long."