Knowles Places Police Officer To Guard Election Equipment
posted October 30, 2008
 Photo by Michael Locke Campaigners for school board candidate Anita Polk-Conley catch cars turning in to the Election Commission office off Amnicola Highway on Thursday afternoon. Click to enlarge. |
And, as early voting ended, Election Administrator Bud Knowles said he was placing a police officer to guard election equipment until election day on Tuesday.
An election office official said, "Due to the intensity of the upcoming presidential election, Mr. Knowles has decided to place a police officer on site at the Election Commission to safeguard the equipment and ballots until election day.
"With all the hype that surrounds this closely contested Presidential race, we feel this move to have security over our building these next few days was the right move. We want to make sure there is no room for any question about the safety and security of our ballots and voting machines.
"Starting today at 4 p.m. until the office re-opens on Monday morning, we will have a police officer on site.
"Also, on election day an officer will be stationed at the Election Commission office."
The early vote total includes:
Nursing home 706
Absentee 3,457
Brainerd Recreation Center 18,449
Election Commission 23,285
Northgate Mall 21,618
"I've been voting for 50 years and I've never seen anything like this," said veteran political observer Paul Smith.
He said, "At Brainerd, they are around the building and in the parking lot. There's a two-hour wait. It's the same way at Northgate Mall and at the election office."
Charlotte Mullis-Morgan, assistant election administrator, said by 5:30 p.m. that 4,000 had already voted on Thursday.
She said at 8 p.m. staff members will go to the end of the lines and tell those who arrive afterwards, they will need to vote next Tuesday.
There had already been more than 61,000 early votes cast here at the end of Wednesday.
Mr. Smith said he expects close to 100,000 to vote in Hamilton County on Tuesday.
The county has 205,000 registered voters.
Mr. Smith said, "I think people are frightened. The economy has awakened a sleeping giant.
"We are fighting a two-phase war and peoples' 401Ks are losing value. That is generating a lot of fright."
Other Breaking News
- Fire Quickly Extinguished At Gateway Towers
- PHOTOS: Tea Party Protest
- Fires Break Out On Dodson Avenue, Near Cameron Hill
- Dade County Escapee Turns Himself In
- City Council Agenda For Tuesday Night
- Collegedale Man Arrested After Getting 15 Pounds Of Marijuana In The Mail
- Federal Appeals Court Upholds State's Death By Legal Injection
- Signal Mountain Math Teacher Facing Charges
- Judges Say Truancy Is Related To Low Reading Scores
- Robbers Get Cash, Pants From Cab Driver In Alton Park
- Derek Birt Added To Sheriff’s 12 Most List
- Forrester Says Robin Smith Has "Blood On Her Hands"
- Firefighters Battle Late Night Fire On Missionary Ridge
| Dining Out | Business | Movies | Focus | About Us |
| Church | Living Well | Memories | Outdoors | Real Estate | Student Scene | Travel |
