Voting update

3:24 p.m.

Upon arriving at First Baptist Church Ministry Center in Kings Mountain, few voters were at the polls.

But after only a few minutes, lines began forming.

As of 2 p.m., 367 votes had been cast at the ministry center, according to Chief Judge Evelyn Pressley.

"Census from everybody is (it's going) pretty smooth, but not really fast-paced," Pressley said.

Voter Charles Drewery voted for Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential primary.

"I just think she's better qualified than Obama," he said. "Him being a young senator, I just don't think he's got the experience he needs."

2:34 p.m.

Just before leaving Boiling Springs Baptist Church, we ran into County Elections Director Debra Blanton.

She said she's been to several polling sites but was more interested in how things were going rather than specific voting numbers.

Blanton said some sites have seen more than 300 voters.

"I'm still afraid we're not going to get to 50 percent (turnout)," she said. "We're programmed by the state board to assume that's what the turnout would be. We're always physically prepared for a 100 percent turnout. Mentally, we're geared for 50 percent. For a primary we normally have about 20 percent."

2:11 p.m.

We're at Boiling Springs Baptist Church and voter turnout is slow right now, according to Chief Judge Glenn Bottoms.. But he said the turnout so far today has been "steady" and better than last fall's elections.

As of 2 p.m., there have been 410 voters and five provisional voters at the church, he said.

"It's been very steady," Bottoms said.

1:30 p.m.

The Leona Smith Neal Senior Center bustled with voting activity as well. At least six people were preparing to vote at one time.

Rachel Gaines voted for Barack Obama because of his promise for change.

"He's talking about changes and I think that's what our country needs right now," she said. "He can see both sides of the political process."

1:04 p.m.

Joe Mullen, a Republican, voted today but not in the Democratic presidential primary. He said neither Democratic candidate appealed to his interests.

"I think they've just made a lot of unrealistic assumptions about the war in Iraq," he said.

12:45 p.m.

Voters are filing in at a steady pace at the Cleveland Volunteer Fire Department polling site.

Residents of all ages are coming out to cast their votes.

Gennie Black, a Shelby resident, said she knew of several people who planned on voting in today's primary election.

"Quite a few people," she said.