City Council Looks to Prevent Long Election Day Lines

Some Boston residents waited more than three hours to vote on Election Day.

More than 65 percent of registered voters in Boston came out to vote on Election Day—but many of them waited in hour-long lines to vote, with some walking away before casting their ballots. District 2 Boston City Councilor Bill Linehan said he believes there is no reason for voters to wait in line for extended periods, and he offered several ways to improve Election Day waiting times. Linehan introduced the topic at Wednesday's Boston City Council meeting. "As we talk about redistricting issues in the last two years, we have some precincts that have too many people," Linehan said. "Those precincts led to lines for 2.5 to 3 hours." In West Roxbury, the four precincts at the Holy Name School polling site had at least an hour line before …

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5 Things

Polls Are Open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Today Boston voters will choose four candidates for at-large city council seats.

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Here are five things you need to know today. 1. Polls are open! Today's a municipal election day. Don't forget to cast your vote for at-large city councilor. For more info on where to vote, candidates and other details, take a look at Patch's Voting Guide.  2. Help your neighbors make this an historic turnout. You've probably seen the banner on Austin Street. Maybe you've seen a few folks standing at intersections with signs. The point is, Vote Charlestown -- a non-partisan initiative to get more people in the community to the polls -- is hoping for a big ballot rush today. Why? Because if Charlestown can make a decent showing at this (and all) elections, politicians might understand it's a bloc worth paying …

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