With all the talk of mail-in ballots this election season, some Inland Empire voters said Tuesday, Nov. 5, that they still prefer the old-fashioned trek to their polling place.
Many cited tradition, but others said that in light of fires set last week in ballot boxes in the northwest, they felt more secure voting in-person on Election Day than dropping off their ballots. Others said voting at a polling place gave them more confidence in the integrity of the election.
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On Tuesday morning, a people were lining up at the Corona Public Library and at One&All Church in Rancho Cucamonga. Some showcased red- and blue-attire as they prepared to vote. At the library, the line at one point stretched around the building.
In Riverside County, as polls neared their 8 p.m. close, at least some vote centers still had lines of voters waiting to cast ballots.
“We do have a few long lines across Riverside County,” said Elizabeth Florer, a spokesperson for the Riverside County Registrar of Voters.
About 6:45 p.m., about 200 people were lined up to vote at the La Sierra Branch Library in Riverside, with more arriving.
About 60,000 people had voted in person as of 7:30 p.m., but Florer said the lines won’t delay reporting of election results.
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In San Bernardino County, more than 17,000 voters went to the polls, but that figure includes those who turned in ballots by driving through and dropping them off, San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters Stephenie Shea said about 10 a.m.
As of 7:44 p.m., one car was in the mail ballot drop-off lane at the San Bernardino County registrar’s office, but about 200 people were still in line, spokesperson Jessica Newton said.
Earlier in the day, as the morning progressed into afternoon, more people arrived at the Corona Public Library, forming a line that wrapped around the building.
Ryan Williams, a 38-year-old Rancho Cucamonga resident, was among those voting at One&All Church. He said doing so was a “quicker and more convenient” option for him.
“I’m voting for Kamala (Harris) not only because I want her to win, but also because it would be a significant historical moment to witness the first female president,” Williams said as he stood in line to drop off his ballot.
At the Corona Public Library, Ricky Abraham, 62, said that he had concerns after hearing in the news about people setting fire last week to ballot drop boxes in Oregon and Washington state.
“I want to make sure my vote counts and in-person seems to be the safer alternative,” said Abraham, who added that he voted for Harris because he didn’t want his children to “believe that what Donald Trump is doing is OK.”
Retired Corona resident James Constiamos said his usual custom brought him to the local library.
“I just enjoy the atmosphere of being able to vote in person,” he said as he walked out. “It’s exciting and has always been a tradition for me.”
Matthew Edonis, a 43-year-old Rancho Cucamonga resident, also cited tradition.
He and his younger brother cast their votes for Former President Donald Trump.
“I believe his policies and what he hopes to do for this country is the best for our country.”
Inland Empire election officials reported no major problems at polling places as of Tuesday morning.
However, a group of people wearing political clothing and hats started a verbal altercation in Lake Elsinore, prompting Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies to respond, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Deirdre Vickers said in an email.
The 9:34 a.m. disturbance was in the 17000 block of Collier Avenue, which is near a vote center at the Lake Elsinore Outlets.
The issue was resolved before deputies arrived, and no arrests were made, Vickers wrote.
Across the United States, Election Day unfolded relatively smoothly nationwide with only scattered disruptions and delays.
Leading into Tuesday, more than 82 million Americans had already cast their ballots in a largely successful early voting period with high turnout despite some hiccups and frustrations in the presidential battleground of Pennsylvania.
Most of the hiccups occurring by midday were “largely expected routine and planned-for events,” said Cait Conley, senior adviser to the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, in a press briefing. She said the agency was not currently tracking any national, significant incidents impacting election security.
In swing-state Pennsylvania, early reports that Republican poll watchers were not allowed into some polling sites were soon resolved. A Pennsylvania state judge ordered polls to remain open for two extra hours in Cambria County, which voted 68% for former President Donald Trump in 2020. The county sought the extension after a software malfunction affected ballot-scanning machines, though county officials confirmed no one was turned away from the polls and said all ballots would be counted.
Staff writers Jeff Horseman, Brian Rokos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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