ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — WPTV wanted to hear from you about any issues you encountered voting on Election Day. That prompted a viewer in St. Lucie County who said there was an extremely long line at the Lakewood Park Village Hall polling location.
When reporter Kayla McDermott arrived at the scene on election day, the poll workers told her the wait was 2.5 to three hours. The line stretched into the parking lot.
Voters that we spoke to said they had no idea when they pulled up to vote that they wouldn't be going home until hours later.
"Once I saw that line, I was like, there's no way," voter Jorge Perez said on Tuesday. "I must be dreaming."
Forrest Cecil waited with dozens of others, braving the rain, wind and dark to cast their votes.
"I got nothing but time," Cecil said.
On Wednesday, WPTV met with Cecil, who said he stood in line in the parking lot for three hours.
"That's actually the first time I've gotten out and voted," Cecil said.
While in line, he realized Donald Trump had won Florida and many of the amendments on the ballot had already been decided. But still, he stayed in line to vote.
"You still get to voice your opinion on the amendments and cabinet positions," Cecil said. "I was happy I stuck through it and cast my vote."
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Poll workers told WPTV that the reason for the backup was due to an influx of people and voters taking the time to read everything on their ballots.
We wanted to talk to the supervisor of elections about the backup to ask why they didn't bring in more poll workers or do something to help move the line along.
WPTV went to her office, but for the second day in a row, we were told she wasn't available.
"I just hope next time it's not as long if they have to open a polling location near us," Cecil said, "just to cut down on the amount of people."
WPTV stood at the polling location until the last person left at about 9:30 p.m. Remember that's two and a half hours after the polls closed. What surprised us the most was that no one complained or got upset. They all came together and stayed positive until they could finally vote.
