ATLANTA: Atlanta teacher Kim Franklin arrived at State Farm Arena at 7.30am on Monday , securing a spot near the front of the long line of people that snaked outside the home of the Hawks NBA team on the first day of early voting in Georgia.
"I'm here because I did my research. Their booths are spread wide all across the stadium floor. I think it's safer," said Franklin, 57, who wore a black"Notorious RBG" T-shirt in honour of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The idea of turning State Farm Arena into a polling place started with Atlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin, majority owner Anthony Ressler and head coach Lloyd Pierce, the outspoken chair of the NBA's racial justice committee.
Soon, the NBA's Orlando Magic followed suit at the Amway Center, the National Football League's Detroit Lions at Ford Field, NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium, the NBA Houston Rockets at Toyota Stadium and Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, among others.