BREAKING NEWS: 19 Cobb precincts staying open until 8 p.m.

Cobb precincts staying open late — *Some technical issues affected voting at Murdock ES Tuesday morning, but lines were scant by the afternoon. (ECN photo)*

Due to technical issues that resulted in a late start to primary voting, 19 precincts in Cobb County will be staying open an hour later Tuesday.

County government spokesman Ross Cavitt said Cobb is abiding by a local court order to keep precincts open where technical and other issues have occurred.

The polls will remain open until 8 p.m. at the following precincts in East Cobb:

Addison 01 (Legacy Church, 1040 Blackwell Road)
Bells Ferry 04 (Shiloh Hills Baptist Church, 75 Hawkins Store Road)
Eastside 02 (Eastside Baptist Church, 2450 Lower Roswell Road)
Elizabeth 03 (Piedmont Road Church of Christ, 1630 Piedmont Road)
Sewell Mill 03 (Grace Marietta Church, 675 Holt Road)
Sope Creek 02 (Sope Creek Elementary School, 3320 Paper Mill Road).

If you’re in line at any of those precincts by 8 p.m., you will be allowed to vote. Here’s the rest of the list.

All other precincts close at 7 p.m.

The Cobb order, requested by Cobb Elections officials, was signed by Cobb Superior Court Judge Robert D. Leonard, and was done so due to “significant voting machine complications” at the affected precincts.

Tuesday’s primary is delayed from May 19 due to COVID-19, and this is the first election with new electronic voting machines.

Long lines also were projected because of a lack of poll workers stemming from the virus and social distancing and sanitizing measures, as well as a lengthy ballot for most voters.

More than 80,000 Cobb voters have cast absentee ballots, and more than 11,000 people took place in in-person early voting.

Major voting problems have been underway most of the day in Fulton, Gwinnett and DeKalb counties.

All precincts in Fulton are open until 9 p.m., and Secretary of State Brad Raffensparger is investigating problems there and in DeKalb County. Elected officials in those counties have blamed the state for problems with the new voting machines, but Raffensparger said local elections officials have had time to test them and to prepare for the unusual circumstances surrounding this election.

A total of 15 Gwinnett precincts with technical problems were open until 7:30 p.m..