General Election 2019: Long Queues Pictured Outside Polling Stations

Pictures of voters queuing in cold drizzle has buoyed hopes of a decent turnout.
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Early-morning voters across the UK have reported long queues at polling stations as the nation heads out to cast their ballots.

It’s been billed as the most important election for a generation, and with the fate of some marginal seats hanging on just hundreds of votes some voters have found themselves facing lengthy lines in order to have their say.

Members of the public voting before heading to work have reported lines as long as 45 minutes, with some people even being forced to leave their space in the queue in order to return later in the day.

I’ve never seen a queue like this at my polling station before. #GE2019 #Vote pic.twitter.com/jnfzcb96tm

— Chris Kilgariff (@Chris_Kilgariff) December 12, 2019

20 min queue to get into polling station. South London Millenials unite! #GeneralElection2019 pic.twitter.com/Tn1gOKkAM2

— Bryony Thomas (@BryonyThomas9) December 12, 2019

Big old queues at the polling station this morning ✊ #GE2019 pic.twitter.com/glG0BakD0i

— Andrew Cleary #VOTELABOUR (@accleary) December 12, 2019

I see from my Twitter it’s happening all over South London, and it’s happening in #Putney too!! Queues like I’ve never seen before. Get out there and vote your little hearts out ♥️ #GE2019 #GeneralElection2019 #Vote #HaveYourSay pic.twitter.com/SVpRCesTtE

— Soph K (@SophK05) December 12, 2019

London wasn’t the only place to see huge queues however – all over the UK polling stations were crammed with people looking to cast their ballots first thing.

Big turnout at 7am! Yes Bristol! #vote pic.twitter.com/cqbouNqvo3

— Lee Irwin (@chipsdelicious) December 12, 2019

Big queues at our polling station today #BrightonAndHove
Get out and vote people.

— Heather Peace (@heatherpeace) December 12, 2019

That's the first time I've ever had to queue & wait outside of a polling station in order to exercise my right to vote here in #Cambridge (local or otherwise).
Hope it bodes well for a good #GE2019 turn out nationally on this rather dreary day. #GeneralElection19 #GeneralElection pic.twitter.com/UkbXn9TzS8

— John E. Walsh #FBPE #LoveMinsmere (@akazeeox) December 12, 2019

At one polling station in Ancoats, Manchester, more than 100 people were estimated to be queuing up to vote during the morning rush, Manchester Evening News reported, with one eyewitness describing “substantial” queues.

Some polling stations saw queues so long on Thursday morning that some voters were forced to abandon their trip to the polling station in order to get to work on time.

Same in Liverpool, a friend of mine went at 7am, the queue was too big to wait in. She's going after work now. Good signs 🤞

— Michelle (@shells_twits) December 12, 2019

Big queue of 100+ people ahead of me at the polling station in marginal Battersea

There’s 50 odd people behind me too#GE2019 🗳 pic.twitter.com/TWNcIsAxEz

— Steven Swinford (@Steven_Swinford) December 12, 2019

I’m in a Lib Dem/Torie marginal and I have never seen the polling station so busy had to park ages away from station!! Wow either a Torie win or a lot of tactical voting by Lib Dem’s here?

— MBreeg (@MBreeg) December 12, 2019

Whilst there’ll be somewhat of a lull during working hours, the long lines are expected to make a reappearance past 5pm – with the polls closing at 10pm.

When it comes to the online discourse, it seems there’s still an awfully long way to go:

It's been a terrific start for 'big queues at the polling station' Twitter, but history suggests we should soon move into the 'hearing people unable to vote' posts before the traditional sprint finish for 'angry people annoyed they couldn't vote after 10pm'.

— Sean Kemp (@Sean_Kemp) December 12, 2019
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