58 Comments - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:40 am: Doorhanger from Oak Park Deomocrats features photos of Durbin. Quinn, Frerichs and Preckwinkle. Um, Preckwinkle is unopposed. Sorry, Sheila. Wnat goes around…. - Rayne of Terror - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:42 am: LeRoy, McLean County. Sprinkling and chilly, great turnout, the “feel” was subdued, plenty of election workers, at least a dozen for a town of 3,500. Not a single yard sign on the way to the church to vote! I was voter 322 at 9:20 a.m. There was a long line for the single electronic voting station. I took a paper ballot and there was no line to run it through the bean counter. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:42 am: People always say “somebody should do something about that”, well, WE are that somebody! Now get out there and VOTE! - I'm New Here - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:44 am: 43rd Ward, 18th Precinct, Chicago. Very windy and a bit misty. Chilly if you stand outside too long. Steady stream of voters. By 8:15 10% had voted (not including early vote). About four different news trucks there. Supposedly they were waiting for Langdon Neal to show up. - lake county democrat - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:44 am: Per a tweet from Peoria, I was disappointed that there was no “I voted today” stickers too! - Steve Judd - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:48 am: Voted in (west suburban Cook) Lyons Township at a quadruple precnct junior high school site. Exactly one worker passing for a sub-circuit judicial candidate. Usually there are at least a dozen to fifiteen workers, many union guys. Today—nothing. A few signs on the parkway, mainly Rauner but that’s meaningless. Turnout good but not great. Page and a half of judicial retentions slowing things down appreciably but folks are hanging in there. - Vote today! - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:48 am: Precinct PA01, Pawnee Illinois. Light rain I was the 165th vote. Mostly older people. This is Republican territory. Steady stream at 9:15. - YNM - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:48 am: From watching the ScribbleLive updates, someone should have let P_au_l__Sch_imp_f know he doesn’t need so many underscores in his twitter handle. To the post: In north Normal, misty rain, but average to slightly higher than average voter turnout at about 8 this morning. More energy in the place than usual and workers (appeared to be more than usual) were on their game - efficient and energetic. Made for a positive experience. - Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:49 am: Slow day in my hick town. Was #18 at about 9am. Oddly enough, primary day was busier at this point. Plenty of “I voted” stickers…. - Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:50 am: North Central Illinois. Small town, rural. Appx 450 register voters in precinct. Overcast & breezy. Turnout in 2010 was around 50% At 8:00, I was #39. - The Captain - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:50 am: Please tell us where your precinct is. Give us the weather, the turnout, the “feel” of the place, as well as the number and effectiveness of the precinct workers. Please also remember to include what time you started drinking and how much and what flavor. And if you have extra then you should probably include the where also. - walker - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:52 am: Turnout slightly up over 2010, plus big EV. Few passers at polls. Weather still ok. NW Cook. - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:53 am: West of the suburbs, just got back from a polling place with 3 precincts, and I had to wait a minute or 2 to get an open voting booth with all 4 for my precinct being occupied. I’d call it a brisk turnout compared to 2010. - RMWStanford - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:53 am: In rural Mclean County, light rain, I voted a little both seven am, there was a line and I was the 36th person to vote - OneMan - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:54 am: Why in the heck is this a state holiday for IDFPR? - democrat Grrrl - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 9:58 am: 19th Ward, Beverly neighborhood on South Side of Chicago. Weather overcast and cool, but dry. I was voter #62 at 9:30am. Had to wait for a voting booth, but only a few minutes. Signs for Rauner and Quinn out front, but no passers. Usually there is someone handing out literature at our polling place. Election judges very helpful. - patsy cline gurl - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:01 am: Voted in East Moline where voting seemed heavier than usual but no lines. Tons of GOP signs at a driveway to church property where I vote. Seemed like they shouldn’t be at polling place entrances but maybe its okay on right a way. Voting went real smooth. - Bourbonrich - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:04 am: Voted in Bourbonnais. All the paper ballet booths were full so I used the touch screen using a pencil eraser. Three poll watchers but it appeared to be less than a full complement of judges. Rainy and cool. Only signs out front were for the Cloonen/Nixon race. Two sales tax referenda on the ballot appears to be pushing turnout along with an advisory vote on whether to establish an elected County Board Chair. - Ghost - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:09 am: Precinct had steady traffic, average of 4 people present continously voting, workers were nice. Tabulator indicated 255 voters before me at 9. No computers just scratch cards here. Waiting for hanging chads….. - the koala - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:13 am: Report from a bucktown polling location that an election judge had a print out of the tribune endorsements on the table where voters check in. - Concerned Illinois Citizen - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:13 am: 46th Ward in Chicago, dual precincts, 10 and 30. Cool and windy. Fairly steady about 200 votes between the two. Occassional waits (judges slowing things up). Several provisional ballots. Only 2 yard signs out front (Quinn and Cullerton). No workers with literature. One poll watcher. - Deep South - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:14 am: Just before 8 a.m., I was the 52nd person to vote in my precinct in a small town in the Deep South. Polling place more crowded than usual…weather was good…no rain at that time, although it’s been wet since then. Did NOT get an “I Voted” sticker. Hoping to get one when I go back tonight. - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:15 am: Geez, I’m glad I don’t follow Schimpf on twitter. He posts more than a Kardashian. - QC Dem - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:15 am: Heavy turnout in Rock Island County precincts from 6 a.m on (so far). - Concerned Illinois Citizen - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:17 am: To clarify, the judical races slowing things up, not the election judges. - Jaded - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:17 am: Central Illinois precinct. I was the exact same number to vote as I was 2 years ago, and virtually the same number as I was 4 years ago. I vote about the same time every year, so there you go. All paper ballots at my polling place. One man, pretty sure it is a union negotiated holiday for all state employees. Monday is usually a good bar night in Springfield. - Anon in BB - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:22 am: Northern Will County, DuPage Township, precinct 19. At 9:40 a.m., I was voter 102. Seems up to me compared to previous midterms I’ve voted in. Five workers in the precinct, very efficient. Only signs on the entrance drive were for Republicans. No palm card passers - I’ve encountered one or two in the past at this precinct location. - Norseman - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:22 am: Egads, I was expecting A Guy to file the write-in certification for Oswego Willy but he didn’t. I should have questioned his generous offer. There was a near riot in the polling place when this travesty was discovered. I’m a dope. Sorry Willy. I still voted for you but Raunervich folks told me that the corrupt election officials won’t count. - NIref - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:23 am: Voted in Carbondale at 1030; there was a small line, but it seemed like it was slowing down. I was number 77. Light rain, with more to follow this afternoon. No poll watchers or other morons harassing voters. Same cannot be said for the SIU Student Center. Poll workers have been sending off poll watchers and GOTV people all morning. They are posted outside of each door and harassing everyone. - Nicholas - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:25 am: 45th Ward northwest side, Chicago. Precinct 2. 6:30 am, Wife was handed a paper ballot that was already filled out. Seems incompetence rather than corruption. Some voter started ahead of us and likely saw the number of Judges and bailed. Still, ridiculous. We watched as they put our ballots through the counter. We were no. 22 which was about average. Need to train poll workers and have at least one person capable of recording a television show on hand — the workers here cannot set the time on a coffee maker. - Ike - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:26 am: Central DuPage precinct. No rain. A steady stream of voters waiting twenty deep to get in at 8:00. A lot of new faces working and young people voting. DGTRO was up early blanketing the public right of way with signs as usual. - Archiesmom - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:27 am: Robin Kelly was with Quinn at Millenium Station. - 19th Ward - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:28 am: For sure schimpf will lose some votes over his over the hill obnoxious tweets. Now he won’t hit 25 percent - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:29 am: - Norseman -, Perfect timing! A report from Kendall County; I need bail money. Wrote in Oswego Willy, now at police HQ on 34. I’ll hold my breath for Rauner to bail me out. While I wait to be fingerprinted and photographed… 15% turnout for Election Day at my voting place. Judges said low, but expect with early voting the turnout to tick to about 2012. Nice Crew of judges . - OneMan - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:29 am: 19th ward… I would take that bet. - Cook County Commoner - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:31 am: Skokie, Niles Township, 25th precinct @ 9:30AM. Well staffed. Quiet. Workers said it was busy earlier. Good coverage on signs. Seems the few active Repubs in area got off their butts. Even a sign for a Repub running for Water Reclamation District. No pollers or workers, but this is typical at off hours, except when the teachers are looking for money. - Stay Tuned - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:32 am: Precinct 101 on the west side of Springfield. It is cloudy with a light rain and about 50 degrees. Steady turnout but no waiting. Only a few signs around. Everything appeared to be running very smoothly while I was there. - FormerParatrooper - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:36 am: East Peoria, Eastside Center. Chilly. Fill on the oval ballots. Steady, no wait. - A.B. - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:36 am: Warren Township, Lake County, 4 precincts together, can’t give an accurate vote number, but the lot and street parking were packed, had to wait for a spot, line to get my ballot and had to wait about 3 minutes for a booth at 7 AM. Felt like a presidential turnout in Hard R land of western Warren Township. - Ken_in_Aurora - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:37 am: 9:30 vote on the far west side of Aurora. Turnout seems very heavy compared to past elections, the poll workers felt the same. Weather is holding, it threatens to drizzle but not much more than that. Some confusion from the poll workers due to changes made by AEC involving printing labels causing a slight slowdown, but no lines to speak of. I pulled #150 or so for my precinct, the other precinct voting at the location was at 71. Normally I’d be about 90 at this same time and the other precinct less than 50. I’m reminded of why I always question the need for the AEC - the county should be doing this, having worked many elections for the county they are much more efficient at it - and to be honest I trust them more than I do AEC. - Concerned Observer - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:39 am: Lockport 12, which is essentially Romeoville (and in a gated community, which hasn’t been a problem but always bugs me). #125 at 9:30 or so. All booths occupied with a small line and steady stream. That SEEMS high, but maybe not…I usually vote early. The machine rejected the vote of the elderly woman in front of me but one of the judges was quick to help out. Only Democratic signs out front…odd since it’s a senior community, I thought. - VPlena - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:39 am: Presidential Year turnout in Lena, Illinois. Good news for Rauner as Lena is heavily republican. - Will Caskey - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:39 am: VITAL UPDATE: Glazed and Infused was CLOSED in Wicker Park. I had to go to Stan’s Donuts across the street and their selection is very inferior. I’m outraged at this election day abuse. - Soccermom - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:48 am: A woman in my polling place had a full-on Oak Park fit when she realized that the full text of the Constitutional amendment was not included on the ballot. She said she could not make an informed decision based on the ballot information. She said it was too important an issue to decide on insufficient information. She said she had no idea who had written the summary on the ballot or what that person’s biases might be. She demanded a copy of the amendment from the election judges. When they did not have the necessary information, she threw more fit. I asked her if she had a smartphone, but she was unsure whether it was legal to use a smartphone in a polling place. Oh gosh, you guys. If there were only some way to let people know what’s going to be on a ballot ahead of time…. - Career Bureaucrat - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:52 am: Springfield West Side - 50 degrees and damp pavements but no longer sprinkling. Steady line of voters, some had a short wait to find open voting station. Pole judge says it has been steady all day so far, mainly an older crowd. Disappointed to see so many unopposed candidates. - Bigtwich - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:56 am: Union Baptist Church / 1405 E. Monroe, Springfield. Five precincts. No lines but steady voting, moving smoothly. Seems busier then past years at 9:45. Mid 50s, lite drizzle. 3 or 4 workers at each precinct. Quinn got over 80% at my precinct four years ago. - Anon in BB - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 10:58 am: Forgot to mention - weather was cool and dry. A bit windy, but nothing like last Friday. I did not have to wait, but right after I got my ballot someone else had walked in and as I was leaving there were about six or seven people heading for the door of the polling place. Hard to tell if they were there to vote or they were just confused what door to go to - school is the polling place and they had teacher/parent conferences scheduled today. - Career Bureaucrat - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 11:00 am: One Man - it is a holiday for all state employees (a union negotiated holiday). It gives time for state employees to attempt to vote in each of the 102 counties on the same day. lol. - dawn - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 11:01 am: 20th ward 23 precinct 181 votes cast. - Anon - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 11:02 am: I haven’t been to a polling place yet that didn’t have problems. The worst was a place that never got amendment ballots so they were handing out two normal ballots. - Dirty Red - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 11:04 am: Turnout in the rural areas is looking good. Those farmers are staying out of the wet fields, and going to vote instead. McLean, Woodford, Livingston precincts have higher vote counts than some inner-city Decatur, Springfield polls. - MyTwoCents - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 11:12 am: Southwest side of Springfield, 4 precincts. At about 10:45 I was number 316. It seemed there was a steady trickle of voters but there was no waiting. - Under Further Review - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 11:19 am: No lines, no waiting, no voters. On site parking, building perimeter decked out in political campaign signs. Judges of elections sitting in silence with their hands folded. An empty polling place with Z-E-R-O voters at 9:45 a.m. in Niles Township. Running errands, while driving the car, I passed several polling places in Evanston Township and the 50th Ward of Chicago. No foot traffic at all. Almost every precinct devoid of workers passing palm cards. Did everybody vote early? The busiest places that I saw were where there were seniors in nursing homes. - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 11:24 am: Soccermom, how about that village Pacific trade agreement question? How Oak Parky was that, lol? - Soccermom - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 11:26 am: Word — it asked if I was in favor of stopping things that are bad. I did not hesitate… - Soccermom - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 11:27 am: You know, Word, you seem to think this is all a big joke. But I would point out to you that we have not had a single nuclear attack in Oak Park since we declared ourselves a nuclear-free zone. You can’t quarrel with success… - buckle up - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 11:31 am: @Wordslinger - Actually Schimpf probably tweets less the you comment on CapFax. - AC - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 11:50 am: Small town just outside Springfield at about 11 AM. It had stopped raining and was just chilly and overcast. The turnout was unusually high, and the facilities and the configuration wasn’t well suited to the number of people that were there. While that caused a bit of confusion, it was being well managed by the folks there, which meant I was able to get in out in under 20 minutes instead of the typical 5. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.