SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — We are just about two weeks out from Election Day.
Monday was the last day for South Dakotans to register to vote, but as you’re about to see many of you have already voted.
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“It’s pretty long, so long,” 18-year-old Ali Viereck said.
She’s talking about the line to vote absentee in Sioux Falls. It’s something you don’t expect to see more than two weeks before election day.
“No I thought it was going to be short and quick, it’s my first time voting, so” Viereck said.
“Ahh the last time I voted there was nobody here last time, so,” Jan Young said.
“This is unreal, but it’s wonderful to see so many people wanting to vote,” Pat Kruse said.
Don: How long did it take you?Pat: Ah about 40 minutes.
The Minnehaha County auditor says the lines have grown in the weeks leading up to the election.
“We’ve been steadily busy ever since it started, so we started averaging about 300 to 400 in-person absentee ballots each day, today well I don’t know what today will be, I think on Friday there were 600 ballots,” Minnehaha County auditor Leah Anderson said.
KELOLAND News did a quick head count and there were 60 people in line at 2 o’clock Monday afternoon. One of our producers tells me there were just as many at 11 a.m.
A lot of those in line brought sample ballots already marked so they can speed up the process once they get to the front of the line.
“Looked at all the amendments so I know how to vote on each one because it’s a little tricky,” Young said.
Many of those in line say they don’t mind waiting, because they want their voices heard.
“We were going to come last Thursday and it just didn’t work out,” Kruse said.
And as we get closer to election day, this line may get even longer.
The county auditor says they took in 925 absentee votes today. The county is also in the process of training election workers holding nine classes the past two weeks with 25-50 people in each class.