Many voters who had received absentee ballots but not returned them and didn't bring them to the polls, those who didn't have their voter card or bother to check their polling place location beforehand, those who moved without changing their address with the Supervisor's of Elections (SOE) office, etc. probably had problems at the polls today. These problems were compounded by the fact that the SOE hotline phone numbers for poll workers to reach the back office were overtaxed and we were therefore unable to confirm information in the registration and voting records databases to allow those people to vote and also ensure the integrity of the entire process. The precinct where I work experienced this problem with 8 potential voters; some were able and willing to wait others could or would not. We had to refer some to the elections office downtown or a couple were able to use other voter's internet enabled phones to check for information on the SOE website.
It is my opinion that the unfortunate move and expense to optical scan voting meant all polls don't have a laptop and a connection to SOE like those used during early voting which would have all but eliminated these problems. In addition the optical scan machines allow for voters to under vote with no warning and approval with exception of a completely blank ballot; a severe deficiency in the current machines that should have never allowed them to be certified to be used anywhere; much less in counties whose touch screen machines provided multiple safeguards against unintentional or mistaken under or over voting.