HYANNIS – The state’s first-ever early voting period has ended.
Town offices throughout the Commonwealth stopped collecting ballots on Friday after residents were given 11 days to vote.
More than one million registered voters in Massachusetts cast their ballots in the upcoming presidential contest through early voting, making up 21 percent of the electorate.
In Dennis, the town clerk’s office reported that there were over 3,600 early voters and around 640 absentee ballots submitted, making up over 35 percent of registered voters in the town.
“I think the process of early voting has been a very positive one,” said Dennis Town Clerk Terri Bunce. “People don’t have to wait in line for a long time, where they might have to wait on Tuesday.”
Bunce added that the typical wait time to vote in past Election Days is between 20-45 minutes.
The town also averaged 50 voters per hour on the final day of early voting on Friday.
In Sandwich, 4,000 of the 16,000 registered voters in town took advantage of early voting, making up nearly 25 percent of the electorate.
Town Clerk Taylor White said that he knows why people are attracted to early voting.
“There’s a novelty to it, I think people want to avoid the lines on Election Day,” said White. “With 80 plus percent turnout, that’s what I’m projecting, I think people just want to avoid those lines.”
As of Thursday, over 5,900 Barnstable voters making up nearly 17.5 percent of the electorate in the town, have voted.
Voters can still submit absentee ballots until Monday at noon, but must have valid reasons.
By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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