Turnout was large – and the lines to get in to the polling station at Tiger Gym at Biddeford High School were long on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3. Tammy Wells Photo
BIDDEFORD — The line of people waiting outside the entrance to Biddeford High School and Tiger Gym, where voting was held Tuesday, were way out-the-door long. Masked voters, maintaining a distance from each other, stood patiently waiting to be let in so they could cast their ballots. Outside, the temperatures hovered around 40 degrees at mid-afternoon on Election Day, but a brisk breeze made it feel chillier.
Still people seemed to take it in their stride, waiting their turn to be let into the lobby from where they could walk into the gym, get their ballots, and go into the voting booths to make their selections.
Outside, the voters were orderly, some chatting amongst themselves as they waited.
Because of health and safety concerns, the City Clerk’s Office had announced prior to the election that a maximum of 25 voters would be allowed inside the polling place at one time, joining the election wardens and poll workers inside.
The lines stretched past the entrance to the school, down Maplewood Avenue, to the wing that holds the Center of Technology. City Clerk Carmen Morris, at the door welcoming voters, said people had been lined up as far as the COT, since 7 a.m., when the polls opened.
Morris, who has been a city employee working with elections for 26 years, and City Clerk for 13 of those years, said the average wait for voters Tuesday was 40 to 45 minutes.
“It’s been like this since 7 a.m.,” said Morris at about 2:30 p.m. “This is the busiest I’ve ever seen it.”
The polls closed at 8 p.m.
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