To the editor:

My wife and I voted Tuesday at the First Baptist Church. When we pulled into the parking lot around 8:15 a.m., we knew that turnout was MUCH larger than in previous elections. We didn’t get back to our car until 9:05, but I was very pleased to see about 100 of my fellow citizens there to vote (50 ahead of us and 50 behind us). My wife was smiling widely as we walked to the end of the long line, and I was thinking about how I was glad that I arrived early.

The poll was running slowly at the sign-in, but there were seldom more than a couple empty booths, so everyone remained very patient. I should have voted some other time when the line was shorter, but I was much more excited to see the long line than other times when I have come to vote with no line at all.

I would like to congratulate everyone who voted on exercising their constitutional right. I would also like to extend a big thank-you to the poll workers who sacrifice their time to assist the process. You have inspired my wife and me to look into volunteering at the polls in future elections, and I encourage others to do the same. If there are enough volunteers, we can avoid long lines in the future — but I didn’t mind seeing everyone today. Hope to see you again in future elections, especially for local offices and issues.

Donald Salsbury,

Lawrence