Students jammed lines at University of Arizona poll into the night

Hundreds of voters — many of them college students — snaked around the polling center nearest the University of Arizona starting at mid morning on Election Day until polls closed.

As polls officially shuttered at 7 p.m. there were still close to 100 people waiting in line at the United Methodist Church at Fourth Street near University Boulevard.

UA students Hannah Calonje and Casey Algreen were the last voters in line at the polling site.

They rushed in from the foothills to vote and initially went to the wrong location at the student union where there was an early voting center but not one on Election Day. They rushed to the church and got in line at 6:59 p.m., scared they were going to miss it because they were excited to vote for the first time.

UA students Hannah Calonje and Casey Algreen were the last voters in line at the United Methodist Church near the University of Arizona campus after polls closed 7 p.m. Credit: Michael McKisson

Calonje said she is from Colombia and her primary issue is the border which she thinks, “should be tightened a lot.”

“I think voting is a good way to show your support for the overall country,” Algreen said. “Proposition 139 was the driving factor for why I’m here.” Prop. 139 would make access to abortion a constitutional right in Arizona.

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said today at a news conference if voters are in line by 7 p.m. they are still eligible to vote. “That’s an important part of the way we do things here in Arizona,” he said.

Oscar Andres Contreras waited two and a half hours to vote at the church on Election Day.

“I’m tired. My knees hurt, my feet hurt,” he said.

More than 150 voters snaked their way around First United Methodist Church, the polling location closest to the University of Arizona on Nov. 5, 2024. Voters reported waiting an hour even as the line continued to grow longer. Photo by Michael McKisson.
More than 150 voters snaked their way around First United Methodist Church, the polling location closest to the University of Arizona on Nov. 5, 2024. Voters reported waiting an hour even as the line continued to grow longer. Photo by Michael McKisson.
A Harris-Walz supporter speaks to young voters who were waiting in line at First United Methodist Church, the polling location closest to the University of Arizona on Nov. 5, 2024. Voters reported waiting an hour even as the line continued to grow longer. Photo by Michael McKisson.
More than 150 voters snaked their way around First United Methodist Church, the polling location closest to the University of Arizona on Nov. 5, 2024. Voters reported waiting an hour even as the line continued to grow longer. Photo by Michael McKisson.
More than 150 voters snaked their way around First United Methodist Church, the polling location closest to the University of Arizona on Nov. 5, 2024. Voters reported waiting an hour even as the line continued to grow longer. Photo by Michael McKisson.
A Donald Trump supporter gives a thumbs up while honking their horn in support on Nov. 5, 2024. Photo by Michael McKisson.
A Ruben Gallego supporter hands out swag to students on the University of Arizona Campus on Nov. 5, 2024. Photo by Michael McKisson.
Supporters and opponents of Proposition 139 held signs and talked to voters who were waiting upwards of one hour to vote at First United Methodist Church, the polling location closest to the University of Arizona on Nov. 5, 2024. Credit: Michael McKisson
More than 150 voters snaked their way around First United Methodist Church, the polling location closest to the University of Arizona on Nov. 5, 2024. Voters reported waiting an hour even as the line continued to grow longer. Photo by Michael McKisson.
Mel Roberts of the Frontera Wesley campus ministry center hands out popcorn to voters who were waiting for upwards of an hour to cast a vote at First United Methodist Church, the polling location closest to the University of Arizona on Nov. 5, 2024. Photo by Michael McKisson.
A “Yes on 139” activist encourages people waiting in line at First United Methodist Church, the polling location closest to the University of Arizona, to vote yes on the proposition that would enshrine abortion rights in the Arizona constitution on Nov. 5, 2024. More than 150 people were wafting in line around noon with times of more than an hour being reported. Credit: Michael McKisson
Rose Todaro from the Tucson symphony play music for people waiting in line at First United Methodist Church, the polling location closest to the University of Arizona on Nov. 5, 2024. People reported waiting at least an hour as the line continued to grow. Photo by Michael McKisson.
Yvonne Creanga, left and Rose Todaro from the Tucson symphony play music for people waiting in line at First United Methodist Church, the polling location closest to the University of Arizona on Nov. 5, 2024. People reported waiting at least an hour as the line continued to grow. Photo by Michael McKisson.
Young voters wait in a line that snaked around First United Methodist Church, the polling location closest to the University of Arizona on Nov. 5, 2024. People reported waiting at least an hour as the line continued to grow. Photo by Michael McKisson.
Shay Thomas passes out popcorn to people waiting in line at First United Methodist Church, the polling location closest to the University of Arizona on Nov. 5, 2024. More than 175 people were waiting in line to cast their ballot. Photo by Michael McKisson.

Contreras and hundreds of other voters, mostly UA students, showed up at the campus polling place because it was the most accessible.

Volunteers and organizers set up as closely as they could along the 75-foot limit line, offering provisions to the weary crowd. Arizona laws mandate that only people voting, poll workers and approved election observers may enter the area within 75 feet of the polls.

“The food was the best part. I got like four slices of pizza, a bag of popcorn and like two drinks,” Contreras said.

Pima County spokesperson Mark Evans said they were aware of long wait times at the UA-area voting center but couldn’t say how long people were actually waiting. People in line told Arizona Luminaria they waited upward of two hours.

“Other places have had a wait but none like this,” Evans told Arizona Luminaria.

Evans said part of the wait could be that students who don’t have means of transportation are heading to their closest poll site.

“There are other polling centers they can go to,” Evans said, though he also said the county was not actively alerting those waiting in line about the alternatives.

“I’m a senior in college but this is my first time being able to vote in a presidential election,” UA student Lily Bowdren said. “As a young voter I just really wanted to turn out today and make sure that I voiced my opinion on the issues that matter most to me.”

By the time Bowdren was able to cast her ballot at the First United Methodist polling site, she had waited over an hour in line.

Anthony Martinez was near the line’s end at the church. The queue wrapped around the block and he was prepared to wait for more than an hour.

“It was expected but I would appreciate if there would be more polls around campus so that we can disperse, like, the amounts of people in the line,” he said.

His primary concerns in this election are the economy, world peace and women’s rights. While Martinez hasn’t made up his mind on who to vote for, he hopes the long wait will give him clarity.

“I’m still deciding that right now, I know there’s a lot of people on there,” he said.

Nate Willbanks was voting downtown Tuesday morning because he said the line at the UA campus location was way too long. He took advantage of a 50% off deal on Uber rides to polling places and went downtown instead where there was virtually no wait.

Nate said his Uber driver got out and voted too.