Long lines, few Election Day problems in Central Texas
Nov 05, 2024
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Central Texas saw long lines but few serious problems on Election Day, KXAN Investigates found.
Less than an hour before polls closed, dozens of voters lined up among bookshelves inside the Daniel Ruiz Public Library in Austin -- one of more than a half dozen locations in Travis County that reported wait times longer than 50 minutes by mid-afternoon.
Campaign signs, including one urging people to vote, seen outside the Daniel Ruiz Library in Austin on Election Day. (KXAN Photo/Matt Grant)
KXAN Investigates checked into viewer complaints and followed up with local county officials to track problems throughout the day.
Travis County: There are "no major issues" at polling locations, according to the Travis County Clerk's office. The Lakeway Activity Center experienced technical issues with a printer, not a voting machine, that was resolved "within minutes" before 8:40 a.m., officials said.
Williamson County: There were no major issues reported at any polling locations, according to County spokesperson Connie Odom. Late in the day, Spicewood Library lost power for "a short time," according to the Williamson County Clerk. One voter told KXAN the power was out for 10-15 minutes. Anyone who was in line at 7 p.m. was able to vote, officials said.
Caldwell County: There were "no reports of problems of complaints" at polling places, according to county spokesperson Miles Smith.
Nationally, the FBI said it was aware of bomb threats made to polling locations in "several states" Tuesday, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains. It is unknown if Texas is one of the states impacted. None of the threats were deemed credible, according to the FBI, which said election integrity is among its "highest priorities."