Waiting to vote on Election Day could lead to waiting in long lines

MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. - It's shaping up to be a historic election with the number of early votes being cast with just over a week until Election Day.

But does that mean voting on Election Day will be a breeze? One analytics firm isn’t so sure.

Maricopa County Recorder explains what happens to a mail-in ballot after being dropped off

George Khalaf, president of Data Orbital, an analytics firm, says we could smash the record turnout numbers. But that also could cause complications, according to their data.

If people are waiting to vote on Election Day, they could face long lines and wait times depending on where they live.

“I’m anticipating, with what we are seeing, we’ll have long lines in some voting centers in highly populated areas, and some that don’t have lots of voters on Election Day, just because of the changes in previous years compared to what we’re seeing in 2020," Khalaf explained.

FOX 10 Voter Guide: 2020 Arizona General Election

Scott Jarrett with the Maricopa County Elections Department says their 175 voting centers on Election Day will be ready for the influx of in-person voters.

“Our vote centers have anywhere from 9-15 check-in stations. So they’re designed to accommodate 1,500-2,200 voters on Election Day with minimal lines. But with historic turnout, we can expect some lines on Election Day," Jarrett said.

First-time voters helping with record numbers

Ravell Sickler has been looking forward to the first time he can submit a ballot. He voted for the first time on his 18th birthday -- and he voted early.

“Voting -- it plays a major role in society. It can change a lot of things," he said.

He’s not alone. More than one million people in just Maricopa County have voted already.

For more information on voting in Arizona, visit this link.