Thousands of New Orleans residents are reportedly participating in the first day of early voting on Friday.
Lake Vista Community Center reported nearly 1,000 voters had arrived before 8:00 a.m. and lines snaked around the parking lot and through the neighborhood, NOLA.com reports. The Joseph S. Yenni Building in Elmwood reported having approximately 500 voters in line as of 9:15 a.m., which also extended through its parking lot.
Election officials anticipated recorded numbers in early voting in the 2020 United States Presidential Election, with polling places throughout the country reporting massive turnouts prior to Election Day on the November 3.
Last month, the New Orleans Pelicans, who play their homes games at Smoothie King Center, announced the facility will host early voting for registered residents on October 16-27 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. each day, NOLA.com reports.
The announcement was made weeks after members of the city council approved a resolution asking state officials to use the city's sports venues as voting hubs. Voting at the NBA area is limited to residents of Orleans Parish.
In August, the NBA released a plan to increase voter turnout in the 2020 Presidential Election, which included team governors being asked to work with local officials in cities where an NBA team owns its area on using venues as voting sites. The Pelicans join several other NBA franchises that have since announced plans to host voters both for early voting and on election day.
Early voting will continue through October 27, excluding Sundays, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.