Rockdale to launch app to help voters monitor precinct wait times

Rockdale County’s Board of Elections and Registration plans to launch a new app that will help voters to determine the wait time before they go to polling precincts this election season.

Rockdale Supervisor of Elections Cynthia Willingham said at today’s Board of Commissioners meeting that the new app would be ready in about two weeks for voters to download. Voters will be able to use the app during the early voting period for the Presidential Preference March 2-20 and on March 24,the Presidential Preference Primary Election Day.

The app, Willingham said, also would be available for other elections scheduled throughout the 2020 election season.

“We’re really excited about this use of technology,” said Willingham. “It will enable voters to determine how long they might have to wait, if their headed in to work or getting off work. The app can help them decide if they need to go to a different early voting precinct, and on Election Day, they will be able to know what the wait period looks like at their regular polling precinct.”

Voters will be able to download the app for free from their cell phone’s app store, Willingham said.

Willingham said Rockdale is being used as a pilot site for ESRI to test the app. Fulton, Gwinnett and Cobb counties are already using similar technology for their voters, she said.

“Because we are being used as a business case to test the app, we don’t have to pay for it,” Willingham said. “I like it because my office can communicate with our voters and election workers in real time. Voters will be able to notify us any complaints they may have and election workers can let us know through the app, if there are any problems.”

Willingham said the app is another tool to help voters during what is expected to be a busy election year.

“This is a big election year and there are a number of important races to be decided,” Willingham said.