ELECTION NIGHT LIVE BLOG: Rep. Matt Hatchett wins the District 155 race with over 60% of the vote

UPDATE: 9pm- With the majority of the 13 precincts counted, Hatchett will retain his seat in a clear victory with over 60% of the vote.

8pm Hatchett held a substantial lead over his opponent Joe Powers.

7:30pm – Republican State Representative Matt Hatchett walks into the Laurens County Board of Elections & Registration and takes a seat in the front row. In his hands is a pen and a legal pad.

7:01pm – The count has begun inside the Laurens County Board of Elections & Registration.

At 3pm polling stations in Dublin and East Dublin were getting voters in and out within minutes. At the Calhoun Park precinct in Stubbs Park in downtown Dublin, voters had to wait on short lines before voting. The average wait time was between 3-5 minutes.

at 3:30pm, in East Dublin at the Smith Precinct Building on Soperton Avenue, there were no lines and the average vote time was less than two minutes.

7am-People queued in the early morning hours as polls opened across Dublin, Laurens County. 

Many area voters cast their ballots before starting their day with lines forming at some precincts, including Adams Fire Station in the northern part of the county and at the Dexter Civic Center precinct. 

Only minor technical problems met some poll workers as they fired up voting machines, but all issues were cleared up quickly, said Laurens County’s Chief Deputy Registrar Susan Rooks.  

By 7:30 a.m., a steady stream of voters easily made their way through the Stubbs Park Gym with no delays at one of the area’s busiest districts.

“They were able to get the polls open and everything is running smoothly,” Rooks said. 

Editor’s Note: The Courier Herald will continue to update this Election Day story every hour.