EVANSVILLE — “How long have y’all been waiting?” a man caroled to early voters in line outside Central Library Monday. It was about 1 p.m.
“Two hours,” came the reply.
An hour after the final opportunity to vote before Tuesday’s election passed at noon, the line at Central Library snaked halfway around the parking lot. None of the hundreds of voters present were giving up and leaving, and several unsuccessfully tried to join the line after noon.
According to the Vanderburgh County Election Office, as of 5 p.m. Monday, 44,913 voters had cast early ballots of all types — by mailed absentee ballot, in-person, overseas and military and travel board.
The great bulk of those — 38,886 — were cast in-person, mostly at public libraries . The total of 44,913 early votes likely will increase slightly by the time the polls close Tuesday, as state law allows mailed ballots to arrive by 6 p.m. on Election Day.
The numbers suggest Vanderburgh County has a chance to break its own voter turnout record.