Palm Beach County early voters brave long lines, try to pass time during hours-long wait time

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. -- - Voters continued to flood into polling sites across Palm Beach County on Friday where they took advantage of early voting ahead of the election on Tuesday.

"You have to come here and vote. No way to get through it but sit here and wait," said Johnny Helman of Riviera Beach.

Helman brought some chairs to sit on as he waited to cast his ballot at the early polling station at Riviera Beach City Hall. Helman and others waited outside for as long as two hours to exercise their right to vote.

"It's been all right. The music eases it, so I'm flowing with it." said Essence Dixon of West Palm Beach.

Dixon said music helped passed the time. While she filled her ears with tunes, others occupied their eyes with books and e-readers.

"Just bring a book, no small children," said Nathan Alexander of Palm Beach Gardens. "Come out here, expect a line. There's going to be one."

Alexander waited about one hour at the Palm Beach Gardens Public Library. It was just a fraction of the wait time at the supervisor of elections office on Military Trail in suburban West Palm Beach. A line coiled around the parking lot for much of the morning and afternoon.

"Bring the ballot with you. You can bring this stuff in with you to the voting booth so you already have it done. You're in there, just knock it out real quick," said Roland Salloum. "(It) gives everybody a chance to get in there early and get out of there earlier. You know it should be just a two-minute process."

Some Facebook friends of WPTV NewsChannel 5, who made it through the lines, suggested finding a less popular location. With 14 different polling places, picking one out of the way could help.

"Bring your comfort food and some comfortable shoes and you'll be all right," said Dixon.

Some voters chose the other option available to them - they picked up an absentee ballot available at several voting locations.