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Live blog: Tens of thousands of North Texans turn out on the first day of early voting

By the afternoon, more than 50,000 people had voted in Dallas County. Tarrant County reported more than 42,000 votes by 6:58 p.m.

This article will be continuously updated.

Voters in North Texas didn't mind waiting to cast their ballots on the first day of early voting Tuesday. More than 92,000 people had voted by the afternoon in Tarrant and Dallas counties.

Almost 2 million more people are registered to vote in Texas this year compared to the last presidential election.

In 2016, there were 15.1 million registered voters in the state. This year, 16.9 million have registered.

Recent polls show Republicans leading in the two highest profile races in Texas. 

A University of Texas and Texas Tribune poll found President Donald Trump leads former Vice President Joe Biden by five points in the presidential race, while Sen. John Cornyn leads MJ Hegar by 8 points in the race for a Texas Senate seat.

Early voting, which Gov. Greg Abbott extended due to the pandemic, will end on Oct. 30.  

Live updates:

10:0 p.m.: Dallas County Clay Jenkins tweeted that at least 59,089 voters cast ballots on Tuesday in the county- a new record. Tarrant County reported 42,328 early ballots cast. In Denton County, 35,944 early ballots were cast, doubling the record from the first day of early voting in 2016.

6:58 p.m.: In Tarrant County, there have been 42,428 ballots cast, a 3.55% turnout.

6 p.m.: Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins tweeted that 50,457 residents have voted.

4:49 p.m.: Lines have stayed long throughout the day at Samuell-Grand Recreation Center in Dallas.

4 p.m.: Jenkins said more than 40,000 Dallas County residents have voted. Jenkins said the record for the first day is 58,775, set in 2016. Polls are open until 7 p.m.

2:53 p.m.: In Tarrant County, there have been 29,769 ballots cast, a 2.49% turnout on the first day of early voting.

1:20 p.m.: Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is spotted waiting in line to vote outside the American Airlines Center. He told WFAA that opening up the arena was the right thing to do. "I just thought it I could make it a little easier on people and a little better," he said. "Why wouldn’t I do it?"

12:12 p.m.: Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins says that 22,000 people have voted early so far.

12:03 p.m.: The line at Keller Town Hall was wrapped around the building and reached the pond fountain. Some voters told WFAA they had waited for two hours.

12:00 p.m.: There were lots of first-time voters and seniors casting ballots at the early voting site at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in South Dallas.

11:53 a.m.: The line to early vote wrapped around the site at Samuell-Grand Recreation Center.

10:40 a.m.: Wait times are currently over an hour for Tarrant County voters at the Elzie Odom Athletic Center in Arlington and the Village of Woodland Springs location in Fort Worth, according to a wait time map from election officials. The Village of Woodland Springs was one of the locations affected by the positive COVID-19 case.

10:18 a.m.: In Tarrant County, there have been 8,728 ballots cast.

9:45 a.m.: One voting location in Tarrant County has been unable to open after a poll worker who trained on Oct. 8 tested positive Monday night for COVID-19. All workers in the same training class were asked to stay home, election officials said, which is affecting two other polling places as well.

The closed location is Euless Family Life Senior Center. The two other affected locations are Keller Town Hall and the Villages of Woodland Springs, according to officials. 

"We are in the process of finding a replacement crew for the site, and will open it as soon as possible," said Heider Garcia, the Tarrant County Elections Administrator. 

To find alternate polling places, head to elections.tarrantcounty.com.

7:45 a.m.: Lines are already forming outside the American Airlines Center, Fretz Park Library and University Park United Methodist Church voting locations in Dallas by 7:45 a.m.

7 a.m.: The polls open.

Helpful resources:

Voter guide: What you need to know before heading to the polls

Am I registered to vote? Here's how to check in Texas

Here's what you need to know about poll watchers in Texas

VERIFY: Who to contact if you feel intimidated at the polls

Here's how to avoid the most common mistakes made on mail-in ballots in Texas

Before You Leave, Check This Out