Early voting off to busy start in malls and markets

Monday, Aug. 19, 2002 | 10:05 a.m.

Early voting

Early voting is available at 14 locations daily through Aug. 30, with seven of the locations changing daily. The moving locations can be found by calling the Elections Department at 455-8683 or online (co.clark.nv.us/ election/). The early voting locations that won't change:

Southern Nevada residents can shop and vote at a nearby mall or supermarket in one easy stop.

Early voting for the 2002 primary election began Saturday and runs through Aug. 30 at more than 52 sites, including malls, markets, libraries and churches.

A total of 7,285 people took advantage of the earlybird voting over the weekend, with the Galleria at Sunset mall in Henderson collecting 1,100 ballots in two days and the Meadows mall close behind, with 1,094 voters.

At the Galleria, voters were lined up 50 deep Saturday morning, site supervisor Bill Pendarvis said.

"It's been steady today," Pendarvis said late Sunday.

Secretary of State Dean Heller said more people are taking advantage of early voting because of the convenience.

"Early voting allows those registered voters who may be out of town on Election Day or who may have a difficult time making it to their polling place on Sept. 3 to cast their ballot early so their voice can be heard," Heller said.

For Bill Cottrell of Boulder City, the opportunity was a welcome convenience.

"It's great," Cottrell said after casting his ballot at the Galleria. He and his wife, are leaving for Alaska early Tuesday, before early voting begins in Boulder City on Wednesday.

"I haven't missed an election in 38 years," he said. "I'm not about to start."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world," Gretchen Cottrell said as a worker wearing a T-shirt with the words, "Ready-Set-Vote," showed her where to return a key card.

Native Las Vegas resident Kathleen Bryan loved voting by touching prompts on a screen.

"I've voted every way there is to vote," she said. "You can untouch your vote by touching the screen."

For voters at malls, the polling booths stayed open until the stores closed. Other locations may stay open as late as 7:30 or 8 p.m.

"People love early voting," Clark County Registrar of Voters Larry Lomax said, answering critics who say voters should wait until the last minute to make up their minds.

"I think people are perfectly capable of knowing when they are ready to vote," Lomax said.

In the 2000 general election, 37 percent of registered voters statewide, or 206,513 of 613,360, voted early.

As of Aug. 3 a total of 829,622 residents had registered to vote statewide, an increase of 14,933 since the end of June. Republicans registered 341,022 and Democrats numbered 339,691 with 115,639 non-partisans counted.

Once the primary election is over, early voting will open Oct. 19 through Nov. 1 for casting ballots in the 2002 general election. Election Day is Nov. 5.