VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Long lines to cast ballots ahead of Election Day continued to be a common sight across Hampton Roads Thursday.
With Election Day just a few days away, voter turnout and election security were two topics many of voters were likely talking about. That includes the use of ballot drop boxes which made headlines nationally.
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“I’m really excited," Virginia Beach voter Praveen Bokka said about voting.
“I think every election is really important," said Virginia Beach voter Melanie McCarley.
As of Thursday in Virginia Beach, Registrar Christine Lewis said the city was on pace to break a record.
Around 93,000 ballots had been cast according to the registrar’s office.
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“It makes the entire office feel really excited and happy. We do this for every election and this is the biggest turnout we’ve had since we started the ’No Excuse Early Voting’ in 2020," Lewis said.
But people weren’t just waiting in line. Some used the drop box outside the registrar’s office.
Drop boxes have made headlines nationally since some were set on fire in Oregon and Washington state.
Watch: Ballots destroyed in drop box fires in Oregon and Washington
“Personally, I felt really bad for anybody whose votes were in that box. They’ll never be recaptured," McCarley said.
McCarley said election security is something she worries about.
“I don't think I have any other choice other than to put my faith in the system and the people that are volunteering in it," said McCarley.
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Bokka, however, said he’s not worried.
“I have been living in this country for 25 years. I voted two times. This is the third time. I’ve never felt bad," Bokka explained.
Lewis is also not worried.
“We have security measures in place that we can’t discuss," said Lewis.
Watch: Despite lower overall early voting in Virginia, Virginia Beach sees record numbers
The state of Virginia regulates drop boxes, including where they can be and how ballots are collected.
Boxes have to be monitored by video 24 hours a day and ballots must be collected at least once a day.
In Suffolk, the general registrar tells News 3 the city has cameras at all three of their drop boxes. Voters can also use a drop box inside the voter registration office on Market Street.
Watch: Virginia Beach residents debate on 10-1 voting system before city council
Safety of voters is also being taken into account.
“If someone is harassed at the polls or they feel they’re being harassed, they need to go inside and get the chief of each polling location and the chief will handle that," Lewis said.
According to the Virginia Public Access Project, around 1.8 million votes had been cast as of Oct. 30 statewide, the equivalent of roughly 20 percent of the state’s population.
How many of those ballots went in drop boxes was unclear.
