2008 Woodie Awards
More than 2,000 register to vote in county on final day
Democratic chair: Most last-minute registrants ever
Bob Culp
Delaware County Democratic chairwoman Marge Landers didn't think the last day of voter registration would be like this.
Lines of last-minute registrants formed outside the county voter registration office all day. Monday's walk-in crowd became more than 500 registration forms waiting to be processed. Landers just added them to the mass occupying the office.
As of 5 p.m. Monday's count was 2,117 forms, and there was no end in sight.
"This is the most I've ever seen," Landers said, "We're starting to pull our hair out over here."
Landers said she has already brought in extra part-time help, but she admits that it may not alleviate the workload during the next week. Tuesday, Oct. 14 is the state-regulated deadline for voter registration offices to turn in their forms.
Workers in the office might have to put in a lot of extended hours, Landers said. If needed, some will work during Columbus Day, Oct. 13, a day that is traditionally a holiday for government employees.
"There was a lot to do last spring, but it's hard to compare to this," she said. "This is just huge."
Three hundred registrations came in from the licence branch Monday, and members of Ball State University Students for Barack Obama have become familiar faces within the voter registration office. After an initial influx of about 500 forms from the student group, Landers said it had returned periodically throughout the day with packets of registrations.
"We're starting to learn their names," Landers said.
Communications major Rudy Stimac said he went to the voter registration office because he needed to change his address.
"It just took me two minutes," Stimac said. "They were really fast considering the amount of work they have to do."
Lines of last-minute registrants formed outside the county voter registration office all day. Monday's walk-in crowd became more than 500 registration forms waiting to be processed. Landers just added them to the mass occupying the office.
As of 5 p.m. Monday's count was 2,117 forms, and there was no end in sight.
"This is the most I've ever seen," Landers said, "We're starting to pull our hair out over here."
Landers said she has already brought in extra part-time help, but she admits that it may not alleviate the workload during the next week. Tuesday, Oct. 14 is the state-regulated deadline for voter registration offices to turn in their forms.
Workers in the office might have to put in a lot of extended hours, Landers said. If needed, some will work during Columbus Day, Oct. 13, a day that is traditionally a holiday for government employees.
"There was a lot to do last spring, but it's hard to compare to this," she said. "This is just huge."
Three hundred registrations came in from the licence branch Monday, and members of Ball State University Students for Barack Obama have become familiar faces within the voter registration office. After an initial influx of about 500 forms from the student group, Landers said it had returned periodically throughout the day with packets of registrations.
"We're starting to learn their names," Landers said.
Communications major Rudy Stimac said he went to the voter registration office because he needed to change his address.
"It just took me two minutes," Stimac said. "They were really fast considering the amount of work they have to do."
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