MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – In Mon and Marion Counties the first day of early voting was very busy but smooth, according to officials.
In Marion County, clerk Julie Kincaid is navigating her first election since talking over for Janice Cosco who retired after 39 years. Kincaid worked in the clerk’s office for 13 years before Cosco retired, so she’s not totally new to how to keep the process secure and moving forward.
However, add a pandemic and a presidential election and you have a completely different set of circumstances.
“This feels a little bit like baptism by fire, for lack of a better term,” Kincaid said,” If I can get through this, I can get through anything.”
Kincaid says the sites at the courthouse, in White Hall and Farmington have operated with few problems and there is plenty of PPE on hand.
In Mon County clerk Carye Blaney says lines of voters met poll workers as the locations opened.
“We had people who came early before we opened the doors at 9 a.m. at all of our polling locations across the county today,” Blaney said,” Our voters were very anxious to start the early voting process.”
Polling locations are located at the Mountaineer Mall, WVU Erickson Alumni Center, Mason Dixon Park and Ft. Pierpont.
“Right now we’re over 2,500 (voters) and that’s where we’re going to end the day county-wide,” Blaney said.
Electioneering is not allowed at, or within 100-feet of the polls, so, hats, buttons, shirts or signs supporting candidates are not allowed. Following the rules and laws keeps lines moving and gets voters in and out of the polls.
“Even though we had a line when we began this morning none of our voters waited more than 20 minutes to cast their ballot,” Blaney said,” I think that says a lot for our election officials.”
Mon County election officials strictly use the media to get important election information out to the public, not text messages or social media.
“If they receive any information from an outside source they should verify that before they use any of that from a text message or something of that nature,” Blaney said.