LONG LINES THAT LEAD TO CLOSED DOORS: VOTING DURING A PANDEMIC
Pennsylvania’s overwhelmed voting system made for an election full of misinformation and long lines. One Democratic field worker describes her experiences in the thick of it all, saying the voters, who waited hours in line, are “the real heroes of the election.”
As the number of polling places became smaller and smaller, the lines in Pennsylvania became longer and longer. Before 2019, Pennsylvania had a straight-ticket voting option. A constituent would pull a lever on a machine and their vote would be cast. However, during the 2020 election a global pandemic, an overwhelmed system and the state's lack of preparation turned the voting from a 30-minute detour to work into a 7-hour long wait.
Samantha Frenkel-Popell, a junior at Harvard University, worked as a Democratic Party field organizer for the four months leading up to the election. In her role with the Biden campaign, she experienced the state's unorganized transition from very few absentee ballots and no early voting to thousands of constituents opting to vote early or by mail. Prior to the 2020 election, the state only had absentee ballots that could be requested under select circumstances. This year the state shifted and allowed everyone to request mailing ballots, which Frenkel-Popell says people were unaware of or, in many cases, did not receive mail-in ballots. However, it was Pennsylvania's new early voting policies that caused many of the election mistakes.
The spotlight on Pennsylvania drew a surplus of organizations to the state that was predicted to be critical for both candidates. Frenkel-Popell, who was focused in Philadelphia and worked on a coordinating campaign, said that the large number of groups trying to accomplish the same goal “over-saturated the state” ultimately “causing more confusion [among voters].” Additionally, many voters believed that earlier voting meant using the typical voting machine, that allows voters to efficiently straight-ticket vote. But, early voting actually meant showing up to request your mail in the ballot and fill it out on the spot before election day. Additionally, the lower-income communities’ distrust of the post-office and in the vote by mail system, due to years of “suppression and disenfranchisement,” caused voters to walk away from the polls after they were told the machines were not being used. According to Frenkel-Popell, this is one of the state's big missteps. Provisional ballots and technicalities with early in-person voting made the election super “messy.”
Philadelphia opened seven early in-person voting locations on September 29th, which allowed voters to register to vote and vote on the same day. However, as the October 19th voter registration deadline approached the lines were “horribly long.” Additionally, the state’s voter ID cards also added another layer of confusion. By October 19th, the city had 18 locations, with three computers from 1996, and without the machines, lines got longer and longer.
Frenkel-Popell, who was stationed at Philadelphia city hall, said as the voter registration deadline approached the city of Philadelphia started cutting the line. This means the polling place, which was open from Monday through Thursday from 11:30 to 6:30 pm and Friday through Sunday from 9:30 to 4:30 pm, would stop the line before closing to make sure everyone would be done voting by the closed time. So if someone showed up at 3:30, they would not be allowed to get in line and were ultimately told to come back on a different day. Sadly, this practice is legal because the polling place in Philadelphia is run by a union. On the voter registration deadline, Frenkel-Popell reported that the line“was cut three hours before closing.” She also remembers one man who was turned away on “the only day he could vote” and from 7 pm to 7 am, saying he now will not be able to vote at all. By the last week of early voting, the lines wrapped around city hall.
However, in all the mess Frenkel-Popell recognized the willingness of voters to stand in line for hours. At city hall, the line moved on the quicker side, with an average waiting time of three hours. But, in West Philadelphia, which is a predominantly Black and poor community, the lines last up to seven hours. She credits the people, who were in “good spirits,” by saying they were the “true Heroes.” However, she was still shocked by how bad the election was and might have expected long lines in the South but not in Pennsylvania. These voters did not let the long lines affect their mood, as they played music and enjoyed pizza delivered by Pizza to the Polls. However, despite all the celebration, the sad reality of the slow and inefficient voting system can be seen. Mothers waiting in line with all of their children, people missing work, and ultimately risking exposure to COVID-19. Frenkel-Popell summed up her disappointment by saying “the city of Philadelphia could not have run a poorer election if they tried.”
While the lines across Philadelphia were especially long, lack of polling places, distrust in the post office, and general misinformation result in long lines across the country. Nevada, Arizona, and Florida also reported long waiting times in the weeks leading up to the election. Looking forward to the 2024 presidential election, not only does technology and proceeding need to be revamped but the “heroes of this election,” the one who stood in line for hours to simply cast their ballot, need to be recognized.