While most voters were likely fast asleep, chief election officer Sing Lee of Kingstowne was at Silverbrook Elementary School in Fairfax Station setting up voting stations at 4:30 a.m. An event in the school’s gymnasium the night before election day kept his team out until the morning. But it was critical to get the precinct open by 6 a.m. on Nov. 3.

By mid-morning, Lee said the stream of voters had never been heavy, but rather “steady.” “That’s the common word,” he said. “There’s been no real break.”

Voters cast their ballots on all-paper forms, bubbling in circles next to their chosen candidates, before feeding them into a single electronic counter. Lee said the simplified process made the morning run very smoothly.

In his second year as chief at Silverbrook, Lee called the work his “community service” to “make sure voting goes straightforward.

“I believe in the democratic process,” Lee continued. “I believe people should vote on Tuesday. And I like to see neighbors come in and talk.”