Voters who ventured out Tuesday morning across D.C., Maryland and Virginia faced few issues after millions cast their ballots during the early voting period.
Calvert County reported hourslong lines and Prince William County had a few ballot machines temporarily stop working, but Maryland and Virginia election officials reported few other problems.
In other areas, several voters told News4 they were surprised at quick-moving lines at polling centers, although a heavier flow of voters is expected Tuesday afternoon.
What to Know
- In Maryland, the polls remain open until 8 p.m. You can register or update your registration when you vote
- In Washington, D.C., the polls remain open until 8 p.m.
- In Virginia, polls remain open until 7 p.m. Remember to bring an acceptable ID; no same-day registration is allowed.
In Calvert County, Maryland, Chopper4 filmed a long line of voters leading out of Northern High School, one of five vote centers in the county. At 11 a.m., wait times at four of the locations were about two hours. The Community Resources Building had a much shorter line.
Super vote centers such as Capital One Arena in D.C. and FedExField in Maryland reported short waits on Tuesday morning. Voters also moved quickly through the Fairfax County Government Center, even though long lines were frequently spotted there during early voting.
D.C. voter Courtney Barker was pleasantly surprised on Election Day. She says she spent seven hours in line to vote during June’s primary, but on Election Day things moved much faster at her Columbia Heights polling location.
“I just assumed that I’d be in line forever,” Barker said. “A massive difference from the primaries.”
At least two polling sites in Prince William County reported ballot scanners were not working Tuesday morning, but those have since been repaired, officials say. County officials said they were aware of problems at Tyler Elementary in Gainesville and Battlefield High School in Haymarket. The county’s elections office printed new ballots and sent additional equipment to the sites, they said.
The machines could have been affected by cold weather, the county told News4’s Drew Wilder. Election officials assured voters that every ballot would be counted.
Spurred by the pandemic, around half of the registered voters in D.C., Maryland and Virginia submitted ballots before Election Day. More than 80% of the mailed ballots in Maryland and Virginia were already back in election officials' offices on Tuesday morning.
Virginia Board of Elections officials said in a midday briefing that nearly 1.8 million voted early and in-person and another 956,000 absentee ballots had been returned via mail or drop box. Those numbers represent 68% of the total number who voted in the 2016 election.
Still, interest remains high on Election Day. A hotly contested presidential election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, control of the House of Representatives and referendums are among issues drawing D.C.-area voters to the polls.
A group of voters bundled up in jackets and wearing masks arrived at Capital One Arena, one of D.C.'s six super vote centers, within an hour of the polls opening.
Voters wearing masks in Northern Virginia were lined up before the polls opened at 6 a.m. for day-of voting, but most of the voters cycled though quickly.
Voters wearing masks in Northern Virginia were lined up before the polls opened at 6 a.m. for day-of voting, even after a record number of early votes were cast. News4's Juliana Valencia reports.
“We could have came and voted early, but we thought it was super important to come and vote on Election Day,” Bianca Ndlovu said as she voted with her mom and sister in Fairfax County.
A few minor issues with machines were noted by state officials, but otherwise things appeared to be going smoothly about midday.
In Prince George’s County, more than 111,000 people voted early. It's the second-highest turnout of any jurisdiction in Maryland.
FedExField is expecting about 5,000 people to show up and vote on Election Day. News4's Darcy Spencer reports.
More people are set to vote in-person on Tuesday, including an expected 5,000 at the super vote center FedExField.
Washington Football Team cheerleaders greeted voters and former players showed up to cast their ballots. World Central Kitchen handed out free food.
“We’re pretty good operationally,” Washington Football Team president Jason Wright said. “It should be smooth sailing.”
Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said the county is supporting the get out the vote effort and protecting voters' safety, in part by using golf carts to help seniors get to the polls.
She also said lines at polling centers may get longer in the afternoon — so don’t delay heading out to vote.
“We’re seeing historic turnout overall,” Alsobrooks said. “We can assure you, we’ve taken every precaution to assure it’s safe.”
Businesses and nonprofits plan to join the final push to get out the vote with discounts and freebies.
Lyft is offering half off one ride (up to $10) to polls or ballot drop boxes using code 2020VOTE. Capital Bikeshare has made rides under 30 minutes free.
Uber also will offer a 50% discount on roundtrips to the polls (up to $7 for each trip). Discounts also apply to bike and scooter rentals and can be found in the app.
Pizza to the Polls is prepared to make waiting in any long lines a little easier by sending food to voters. The organization has partnered with Uber Eats, Shake Shack and Milk Bar and will bring food to certain places that report long lines to their hotline, 866-OUR-VOTE.
A Pizza to the Polls truck in front of the University of the District of Columbia during early voting (Photo: Sophia Barnes).
Defined by a pandemic, a recession and mass protests over racial justice, the 2020 election is hugely consequential on the federal and local level. The tension has spurred heightened security measures in downtown D.C., where many businesses have boarded up windows.
Masks at polling places, an increased police presence in D.C. and a rush of early voting all reflect the measures taken for security and virus prevention during this election.
Officials in the capital city are beefing up security, especially near the White House, and bracing for the possibility that numerous planned demonstrations could turn destructive or violent as polls begin to close on Tuesday night.
If you notice a problem at the polls, contact the News4 I-Team voter patrol at 202-885-4444 and tips@news4iteam.com
But results may take longer to calculate this year as officials count a flood of mail-in ballots.
For example, officials in Fairfax County, home to more than 5.9 million registered voters, don't expect to be finished counting ballots until Saturday.
In D.C., Maryland and Virginia, there’s still time to submit your mail-in ballot. Get it postmarked or into a dropbox on Tuesday.
Officials recommend dropping the mail-in ballot off at a drop box on Election Day, rather than mailing it, due to slowdowns at the postal service.
Here’s your guide to Election Day voting in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
In Washington, D.C., polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can vote at any of the Election Day voting centers, including more than 80 regular polling places and six super vote centers that can handle crowds.
Races on the D.C. ballot include a crowded contest for two at-large city council seats and an initiative that would have police de-prioritize enforcing laws for certain psychedelic drugs.
Initiative 81 would change the way D.C. enforces the non-commercial planting, cultivation, distribution, possession and use of entheogenic plants and fungi. News4's Aimee Cho explains.
In Virginia, polls are open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. As long as a voter is in line by 7 p.m., the voter will be able to vote. Here’s where to find your polling place. Bring an approved ID to vote, or you may have to cast a provisional ballot.
Races on the Virginia ballot include a contest for a Senate seat between incumbent Democrat Mark Warner and Republican challenger Daniel Gade. A proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot would create a non-partisan commission to draw the lines of Virginia’s congressional districts.
This initiative would establish a new commission, composed of eight members of the General Assembly and eight citizens, that would draw new lines for Virginia's congressional and state legislative districts.
In Maryland, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you’re in line by 8 p.m., you will be able to vote. You can vote at any voting center in your county; you aren’t limited to only going to your usual assigned polling place. Here's a list of Election Day voting centers.
In addition to choosing the next president of the United States, Marylanders are voting for their respective representatives in Congress. A constitutional amendment would allow the General Assembly to increase, decrease or reallocate funds in the governor’s proposed budget each year starting in 2024.
The ballot will also ask voters whether they approve of legalizing sports betting.
The election comes as coronavirus cases are surging in the D.C. area. Most polling places require voters to wear a mask.
Election security and preparations in case protests escalate are top of mind for both federal and local officials in D.C.
Department of Justice personnel will be present at voting centers in Montgomery County, Maryland, and Fairfax and Prince William counties in Virginia to ensure voting rights are upheld, similar to other years.
Live Election Results
Protests and demonstrations are expected in Washington, D.C., regardless of the outcome of the presidential election.
At least six groups have requested permits for protests in the District over the next few days, D.C. officials said. Large groups are expected to gather in Black Lives Matter Plaza outside the White House, where organization Shutdown DC planned an election results watch party with bands and artists.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says peaceful protests are welcome, but prepared for anger and frustration to flare following a summer marked by daily or weekly demonstrations against police brutality in the city.
The sounds of low-flying police helicopters and hammers hitting plywood reverberated throughout the streets of D.C. in preparation for any demonstrations and protests.
All D.C. police officers are set to be on the city streets, the director of the city’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, Chris Rodriguez told reporters on Monday.
Many businesses downtown chose to board up windows in case of vandalism or destruction. Street parking is restricted on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Security is also stepped up around the White House, where crews worked into the evening on Monday to install a “non-scalable” fence around the complex.
Bracing for the possibility of unrest, officials have closed some of the green spaces that flank the White House. Lafayette Park and President's Park normally attract crowds celebrating on election night, but those nearby will notice fencing to create a buffer between possible demonstrators and the White House grounds.
The D.C. National Guard received a request from the U.S. Park Police to be on standby this week. That request was later either withdrawn or denied and the D.C. National Guard was told to stand down for now, spokesman Sr. Master Sgt. Craig Clapper said.
“That could change at any time,” he said. “Last week we were mentally preparing but over the weekend we were told to stand down.”
Stay with News4 for the latest updates on Election Day
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