Officials worry Election Day may bring 'unprecedented lines' at limited polling locations

SALT LAKE CITY — Local election officials were buckling down Monday for a busy Election Day, worried hundreds of thousands of last-minute voters may jam up limited polling places.

"What we may see is unprecedented lines," warned David Magleby, a political science professor at BYU.

As of Monday, statewide turnout lingered right around 40 percent of Utah's 1.4 million active voters. Because election officials estimate statewide turnout to reach 70 percent, more than 400,000 ballots could be cast in the final hours of Election Day.

"Judging from the lower turnout, I think some counties will be very busy (Tuesday)," State Elections Director Mark Thomas said.

Read more: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865666665/Officials-worry-Election-Day-may-bring-unprecedented-lines-at-limited-polling-locations.html