Amherst, N.Y. (WBEN) - Local residents lined the sidewalks outside the Amherst Senior Center on Monday in order to cast their ballot in the early voting process for the 2024 election.
For some residents lining up to vote on Monday, the long line stretching well-past the voting entrance caught them by surprise.
"I'm surprised to see the line as massive as it is, I've never experienced it that long," said Amherst resident John in an interview with WBEN. "We're here to vote and get it done."
Meanwhile, other residents did not seem phased by the turnout for Day 3 of early voting on Monday.
"The first time I voted in Erie County, the line was this long also," said Amherst resident Lee Adriatico with WBEN. "I didn't expect it to be quite this long, being it's early, but it's better to do it today. If I don't do it today, I've got to do it by next week. It's going to be long no matter what day you come."
"This is a big year. I'm a little older, and never have I had such controversy about this year," added Williamsville resident Joanne Lanoci in an interview with WBEN. "I wait in line at the casino, and I'll wait in line here. You've got to do what you've got to do."
Some voters waited more than 45 minutes to get through the line in order to cast their ballot in early voting on Monday. However, residents were willing to wait in order to make their voices heard.
"I think parts of our democracy are on the line, and we're trying to take rights away from some people. It's really important that we secure those rights, and make sure the right person gets in office that is for all of the people," said Williamsville resident Rachel Beason with WBEN.
"I just think it's important, especially for seniors. I'm not happy with the economy, and I worry about my children and my grandchildren growing up, [what they're] going to have to face," added Adriatico.
Lanoci also agrees on the concerns with the economy, as well as abortion rights for women.
"If you don't vote, it's a no vote. So you really have to get out here and vote," Lanoci said.
What else is on the minds of voters as they casted their votes this election season?
"I believe we're controlling how our country is going to be run for the next four years. If you don't put your say in now, you really have nothing to complain about," John said.
"I just hope that the right person wins, and that we get back on our feet," Adriatico added. "It's just very hard to shop, employment is not good, and I worry about my family."
Adriatico is also encouraging the younger members of her family to get out and cast their votes in an effort to help make the country better for everyone.
"They're the ones that are going to have to face whatever's decided more so than I am," she said.
As for some of the younger voters like Beason, she believes more people her age and younger are going to come out to cast their ballot, and they're excited to vote in this election. She feels it's an encouraging sign of things to come for the country.
"Just knowing that people are willing to stand in line on both sides of the aisle to do their civic duty and have their voices heard. No vote is still kind of a vote, so you really need to get out there and just let everybody know what you're thinking. Whichever side wins, they know who came out on both sides," Beason said.
Erie County Democratic Chairman, Jeremy Zellner has been encouraged by the turnout over the first three days of early voting throughout the county.
"We're in a community that we've never had lines for any election before, and then we started to see them four years ago during the presidential election, when there was so much interest in the early voting. So we've increased our equipment numbers across the county in our larger areas," said Zellner with WBEN on Monday.
Zellner reminds voters they can use any of the 38 sites across the county in order to cast their ballot.
"I was here in Amherst [Sunday] morning, and a number of folks I diverted to other areas that didn't have any lines, so they could drive 20 minutes and get right in and vote instead of waiting for 40 minutes here. That went really well," Zellner noted. "We saw a large increase in some of the other locations yesterday. We have 38 of them, there's 11 in the City of Buffalo. Every single town has a site. And as I said, we've increased the equipment in some of the larger towns, including Amherst here, where we are now, so that we could process more voters."
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While Zellner admits the early voting process has not been perfect, he hasn't had many complaints from residents getting out to vote.
"We're always working on ways to perfect our process, but we are processing [600,000-plus] voters into one little machine because each location has to print out a ballot for every single voter," Zellner said. "When you really look at it, we've got lots of different ballot styles, lots of different voters, and taking 40 seconds to print that ballot out and process that ballot is what is about the proximate time at this point. But I've not had really many complaints. A lot of people are really enjoying this process, and they're really enjoying being here, and they're dedicated and want to vote."
So what may voters need to know before they head to their local polling place to cast their ballot over the next several days?
"They don't need their license, they don't need their voter registration card or, what we call, a 'fast pass' that we mailed them in the recent month. But if they bring it and they use it, it's going to make it a little quicker," Zellner advised. "When we're in there and we're processing the voter and they give us their last name and it's a loud room it's a little tougher to hear them and they have to type it in. If they have their card, we scan it, and then we verify them at that point. That's been very, very successful in keeping lines down and keeping things moving quickly. 54% of the voters who voted on Saturday used some form of a quick scan, and I think that really helped us with our speed."
Early voting in Erie County and across New York State continues through Sunday, Nov. 3. Election Day this year is Tuesday, Nov. 5.