Morning precinct reports
Tuesday, Nov 8, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* What are you seeing out there? Turnout? Mood? Line size? Anything different from previous elections, or about the same? Make sure to tell us at least your approximate location. Thanks.
…Adding… I’m also interested in any confusion caused by things like this…
With approximately half of Chicago voters heading to new voting locations for the midterm election, polling places opened before sunrise on a crisp Tuesday. […]
Election officials are aiming for a smoother day after a rocky June 28 primary. Election judge shortages caused 56 precincts in Chicago and six precincts in suburban Cook County to open late that day. […]
However, Chicago faces the potential for widespread confusion after nearly half of city voters were assigned new polling places in the three months leading up to the election. […]
For voters who show up at the wrong polling place, the Tribune has a guide on what to do. Voters with questions or issues also can call the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners at 312-269-7870.
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- Give Us Barabbas - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 7:22 am:
This is my first time working a polling place but the traffic is already brisk and building. Springfield west side. I’m excited to do this job, though it’s a long day that starts too darned early for me.
- Nazono Sakana - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 7:56 am:
This north side precinct open at 6:00, no sweat.
- NorthsideNoMore - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 8:38 am:
28 voters in western burbs dupage at 7:15. 12 or so in line
- DuPage Saint - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 8:42 am:
Rich has alluded to problems in Cook and Chicago and noted that if it was Georgia or Florida National press would be going nuts
Cook should do what they do now in DuPage vote at any polling site. That is the best election reform I have ever heard of
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 8:46 am:
I have been voting in the same place at the end of my block for 30 years, a church hall. I understand that they have consolidated to fewer precincts which is a good thing. However, they moved my new precinct to vote several blocks away and put other precincts in the church hall. Why not put the precinct for the people on the same street as the polling place at that polling place? Rant over.
- Marty - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 8:52 am:
North Side Chicago 50th Ward. Voted at 7. The place was hopping, about 4 time the usual. Everything was smooth, upbeat and voters seem very informed and ignoring the pesty folk in the parking lot passing out who to vote for!!
- Yorkville Will - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:04 am:
As of 6:45 am, computers down across all of Kendall County. Could still vote and counted in machine. Debate among volunteers about proper protocol once computers came back up. Not feeling confident about this process.
- Gen - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:05 am:
Had a friend go to their traditional polling location and were denied and told to vote in a completely different county… Had to call the clerks office to figure it out
- 618er - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:06 am:
Small Town central Illinois, fairly busy for 7:00 am
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:07 am:
===Not feeling confident about this process===
That’s why there are paper ballots
In the Hamlet the turnout in this snapshot is “average, maybe slower”, but hedged on the idea that early voting might have been more intense.
- SouthSideGT - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:14 am:
My polling place location gave out black markers which bled through to the other side of the ballots. I filled mine out with my pen which didn’t. Because I am a nice guy I donated my pen and they were scrambling to figure out what to do next. I am going to check in on them in a bit with a box of pens from Osco. OMG.
- User - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:16 am:
Central Illinois, in the precinct I’m working the turnout is already approximately 50% the total turnout we got for the primary
- FIREDup! - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:24 am:
Southside Christian Church in Springfield has four precincts. PACKED at 8:15 a.m. This is a big Dem area.
- DuPage Saint - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:40 am:
Just voted in Kane near Geneva. I have never seen it so busy. Asked judges said busiest they have seen and also was extremely busy at early voting sites. Does this mean throw incumbents out? I was always told angry throw the bums out always vote. May be more interesting than I thought
- Stormsw7806 - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:40 am:
West side Springfield. Good turnout. Seems up a bit. No problems at all. Fowhat it’s worth I received 17 texts in the last 24 hours reminding me to vote with details on polling location. Last election I received zero.
- MaddyMoon - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:44 am:
45 minute wait to vote in Elgin at the library yesterday an hour before the polls closed. No young voters, lots of seniors and Middle age types.
- Yorkville Will - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:46 am:
=== That’s why there are paper ballots ===
My lack of confidence lies in the ability for the volunteers to handle this given the debate and chaos between them.
- Niles Township - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:47 am:
Maybe I’m getting old… but when did the 100 foot electioneering rule go from being measured from the building door to the inner door of the room holding the balloting. I was practically assaulted this morning by two opposing volunteers who had to be within 6 feet of the outside door. When I asked, poll judge said, no problem because now measured from inside.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:48 am:
===the volunteers===
Paper ballots win the day.
Glad you voted. Voting matters.
- Moved East - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:49 am:
Voted at 8 am in Dupage County. Poll workers said it has been busy all morning. Wife and I voted after standing in line of about 8 people. When we were done there were 15 people in line. Reason? The ball points pens were terrible and you needed to spend alot of time essentially painting in your choice. People seemed happy to be voting and did not seem energized about anything. we live in a very Republican area. We voted all Dems.
- ChicagoBars - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:54 am:
SouthsideGT….
The State Board of Elections was already addressing felt tip pen concerns yesterday, though it’s going to be a long day for poll workers if they’re bleeding thru that much on ballots.
https://twitter.com/illinoissbe/status/1589970619109888000?s=20&t=lkLzaIDC6WgavQ4vIi25vg
- ChicagoBars - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:58 am:
Not voting until late afternoon but that Chicago Board of Elections moved my polling place (after more than a decade at a church school 1/3 of a mile away) and I’ve already run into my first neighbor who went to their old location and now they aren’t sure they’ll have time to vote later.
Cynically it feels like Chicago would’ve waited until this winter’s municipal elections to make the switch and reward old school organizations with precinct captains who can help the “right” voters straighten this all out.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 9:59 am:
Voted about an hour ago. The four booths were full in our township hall. Still short wait. Judges already planning to send to the courthouse for more ballots. Expecting a large turnout especially between 5 pm and 7 pm when folks get off work. Zero contested races at the county/local level (all Rs). Statewide and federal are the drivers.
- Donnie Elgin - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 10:01 am:
“When did the 100 foot electioneering rule”
Local precinct in DuPage has voting on the lower level the stairs and elevator are not next to each other - - the electioneering -free zone varies wildly from year to year - based on judges’ interpretation - the law has been the same for years. Of course, the statute is clear as mud…
“If the polling room is located within a public or private building with 2 or more floors and the polling room is located on the ground floor, then the markers shall be placed 100 horizontal feet from each entrance to the polling room used by voters to engage in voting. If the polling room is located in a public or private building with 2 or more floors and the polling room is located on a floor above or below the ground floor, then the markers shall be placed a distance of 100 feet from the nearest elevator or staircase used by voters on the ground floor to access the floor where the polling room is located”
- low level - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 10:09 am:
==My lack of confidence lies in the ability for the volunteers to handle this given the debate and chaos ==.
This is another reason to vote early.
Of course, MAGA types will claim the computers shutting down is part of some big scheme.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 10:10 am:
===Of course, the statute is clear as mud===
Seems pretty clear to me.
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 10:13 am:
Voted at 8:10 in new location where my precinct was there with another precinct from the 47th ward. Crammed into tiny mobile home sized location next to school parking lot even though school closed today and could have used the cafeteria. 3 people in line ahead of me.
- Big Dipper - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 10:16 am:
==The ball points pens were terrible and you needed to spend alot of time essentially painting in your choice==
I voted by mail and it took forever to fill all the judicial retention ovals with a pen. I may go back to early voting because the touch screen is so much quicker. Is there a reason it is an oval rather than a circle to fill in? Seems a circle would be quicker. Is there a certain percentage of the oval being filled where it is counted as a vote?
- Hot Taeks - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 10:20 am:
All these stories are exactly why I voted early by mail into the safe election drop-box. Screw waiting in lines and dealing with electioneering.
- Oldtimer - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 10:21 am:
Southeast side of Springfield polling place that votes 2 precincts. I was number 198 a little after 8 am. Parking lot mostly full. Not a single campaign sign up, usually they surround the entrance.
- CookCo - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 10:22 am:
Waited for an hour and a half yesterday to EV in Cook. Said it had been like that all day.
Turnout seems high, but hard to be optimistic.
- Give Us Barabbas - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 10:31 am:
Network glitched for a few minutes but we’re back up and working correctly. County clerk’s office is very helpful under the strain.
- hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 10:39 am:
Really like the new voting machines that McLean County got for 2022. Gone are the old credit card type objects inserted in the touchscreen machines and you handing back the credit card to the election judges with no physical ballot to be had.
Now you can still vote on a touchscreen but the machine prints out your selections onto a paper ballot that you get to review before inserting it in the bin to be counted. Just gives me more peace of mind.
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 10:49 am:
#94 at 9 o’clock. Looks like a very busy morning. Way busier than 2020. Probably a lot fewer early voters this year.
- Teacher Lady - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 10:58 am:
Serving as a registrar in small town in southern Sangamon County. Big turnout. Many more than other elections, except for the 2020 general election.
- JoanP - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 11:02 am:
I got to my polling place (south side of Chicago) around 9:15. It took me a half-hour to vote, in part because the Sharpie made a random mark on my judicial ballot so I had to vote it all over again.
There was a line to check in, a line to vote, and a (shorter) line to scan your ballot. I was told that it had been like that all morning.
Only problems I saw were with a couple of people who had moved and had not changed their registration, so that’s on them.
- TinyDancer(FKASue) - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 11:02 am:
I voted by mail and used the dropbox in the Lincoln Park library. Easy Peasy.
Hubby waited until yesterday but the line at the library was so long that he left without voting.
Now, he’s got to vote today.
Not clear to me whether (in Chicago) you can vote early voting local on Election Day or if you have to go to your precinct.
Directions are ambiguous.
I guess he’ll find out.
- kestrel - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 11:02 am:
I’m in same place as FIREDup!. Voted at 9:30, packed. Never really seen it like that before. Gotta say, though, I did not like the set up. Not very private, shoulder to shoulder. They crammed the operation into an entry hallway rather than the big open room they’ve used before. Contrary to FIREDup’s comment, I wasn’t aware of the area being a Dem stronghold. I should get out more. Thanks for the great site, Millers!
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 11:10 am:
OK, I’m closing comments on this one, so let’s move everything over to here: https://capitolfax.com/2022/11/08/mid-morning-precinct-reports-5/