Long Waits Disrupt Voting at College Polls

On Election Day, numerous polling locations across college campuses, including the University of Arizona and UC Irvine, experienced extensive wait times, with many voters waiting upwards of two hours. At the University of Arizona, close to 100 voters were still in line after polls closed, prompting Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to affirm that anyone in line by 7 p.m. is eligible to vote. Similar conditions were reported at ASU's Tempe campus and Illinois State University, where students faced discouraging waits of 1-3 hours, particularly impacting first-time voters. Insufficient staffing and the process of same-day registration were cited as primary causes for the delays at UC Irvine. Students expressed their determination to vote despite the long lines, emphasizing the importance of their participation in the electoral process. Concerns about voter discouragement were prevalent, as many potential voters chose to leave upon seeing the long lines.