Maricopa County election officials said the final hours of Election Day on Tuesday saw a surge of in‑person voters, with more than 188,000 ballots cast by 4:30 p.m., according to AZFamily. The influx created long lines at several East Valley vote centers as after‑work crowds arrived.

At Chandler‑Gilbert Community College, wait times climbed to nearly an hour late Tuesday afternoon, with drone footage showing a line of more than 100 people wrapping around the campus courtyard. Similar congestion was reported at Mesa Community College and the Sun Devil Fitness Center.

Voters who had already completed early voting praised the ability to drop off their ballots, saying it spared them the long waits. “It’s a relief. We had the early ballots because it’s very long,” said voter Jillian Mowen. “Luckily we did the early ballots, so all we had to do was drop it off, so we didn’t have to wait in line.”

Other voters expressed surprise at the turnout for a non‑presidential election cycle. “I thought there would be longer lines, but I wasn’t expecting this much, because it’s not like a presidential election where you see the long lines,” said voter Erika after casting her ballot.

County officials emphasized that high turnout at one vote center does not mean every location is packed. Under Maricopa County’s vote‑center model, registered voters may cast their ballot at any official site, meaning an alternate location just a mile or two away could have little to no wait.

Polls officially close at 7 p.m. Anyone standing in line by that time has the legal right to cast their ballot and is strongly encouraged to stay in line, election officials said.

What’s next: Voters who remain in line after 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote, and county officials will continue to monitor wait times at all centers through the evening. The final vote totals will be reported after polls close.

Sources: azfamily.com