Voting machines go down, voters upset over issues try to vote elsewhere

Published 1:02 pm Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Voters in Smith County were facing such long waits at The Hub earlier today that some grabbed printouts of lists of other polling locations and began handing them out in line. Others saw the lines and simply left.

That was the scene at lunchtime on Tuesday as voters dealt with the frustration of long lines and issues causing machine to go down at other polling locations.

A spokesperson for Smith County said poll workers had temporary issues with election equipment at several locations after polls opened this morning. Those locations included the Lindale Public Library, Glass Recreation Center and Noonday Community Center. The First Baptist Church location in Gresham had to be closed for the day due to a gas leak.

Voters also reached out to the Tyler Paper about issues at the Boulter Middle School location.

Eric Boettcher said he waited nearly an hour to vote at the Hub, the main polling location in Smith County. 

When he attempted to get on his phone to pull up a list of other polling locations, he said he was told he could not use a cell phone in the voting area. So after finally getting to vote, he said he saw printouts of the other locations and decided to ask people in line if they needed them.

He was one of two voters who did so between noon and 1 p.m.

Smith County said they would not be be extending voting hours at other locations.

This story will be updated and election results will be online tonight and by the morning.

Smith County residents can vote at any of the following locations on Tuesday.

Tyler

Bell Elementary School — 1409 Hankerson St

St Violet Baptist — Church 14129 FM 2767

Rose Heights Church of God — 2120 Old Omen Rd

Crossbrand Cowboy Church — 11915 FM 2015

St Louis Baptist Church — 4000 Frankston Hwy

Boulter Middle School — 2926 Garden Valley Rd

Glass Recreation Center — 501 W 32nd St

Heritage Building — 1900 Bellwood Rd

The HUB — 304 E Ferguson St

Jones/Boshears Elementary — 3450 Chandler Hwy

T J Austin Elementary — 1105 W Franklin St

Bethel Bible Church — 17121 Hwy 69 S

Dayspring Methodist Church — 310 W Cumberland Rd

Noonday Community Center — 16662 County Road 196

1st Baptist Church-Gresham — 16844 County Road 165

Soma Church — 3700 Old Bullard Rd

Three Lakes Middle School — 2445 Three Lakes Pkwy

Shiloh Pines Mobile Home Comm — 2525 Shiloh Rd

Dover Baptist Church — 21166 FM 1995

New Harmony Baptist Church — 10251 FM 724

Old Tyler Airport — 150 Airport Drive

Red Springs Fire Department — 16759 FM 14

Chapel Hill High School — 13172 Hwy 64 E

St Violet Baptist Church — 14129 FM 2767

Crossbrand Cowboy Church — 11915 FM 2015

ARP

Arp 1st Bank – 304 Front St. Bullard

Bullard

Bullard Fire Department — 215 S Houston

Flint

Flint Baptist Church — 11131 FM 2868 W

Hideaway

Hideaway Member Service — 101 Hide A Way Ln

Lindale

Lindale Public Library — 200 E. Hubbard St.

Troup

Cameron Jarvis Library — 102 S. Georgia St.

Whitehouse

Mt. Carmel Baptist Church — 105919 FM 344

Whitehouse Municipal Court — 311 E. Main St.

First Baptist Church — 801 E. Main St.

Winona

Starrville Church of Living God — 18936 Highway 271

Victor Kay Gymnasium — 605 Wildcat Dr.