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* It’s Election Day! What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…

…Adding… [From Rich] Let’s also use this post as a morning precinct report. What are you seeing out there? Let us know where you are if you can.

…Adding… Fresh thread is here.

posted by Isabel Miller
Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 7:48 am

Comments

Oscar should become the new CapitolFax.com icon.

Change my mind.

Comment by Dirty Red Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 8:05 am
Fingers crossed, hoping voters in my neck of the woods vote to switch our library from municipal to district. The library will likely have to close due to inadequate funding if we don’t become a district. Just simply not enough funding from a shrinking municipality of 900. I cannot imagine a community without a public library. I’ve been using this library for over 60 years, since it was Women’s Club Project Library. The library has always been my one safe place, my place where no matter how bad things in life were - there were good things inside those doors. The librarians shaped me into the person I am today by always encouraging me to read, to learn, to be active in my community. Long Live Public Libraries!

Comment by DownSouth Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 8:07 am
Assume Rich may put up a voting thread, but here’s an early report.

2 of 3 precincts at the polling place I’m working are super light. My personal precinct has been more or less normal.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 8:20 am
Good morning to ALL participating in the election process, democracy counts on the volunteers willing to work the polls as judges, poll watchers, and campaign volunteers too.

Be safe (weather), and hydrate. Buy the election judges lunch too

I may not have used it as such above, but democracy is a verb.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 8:24 am
Light turnout this morning in my precinct. Only one race on the ballot, which is a first for me.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 8:25 am
Southern Sangamon County
Polling location has two precincts.
21 voters so far.
Yawn…

Comment by Teacher Lady Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 8:28 am
Looking forward to the end of TV ads for the Chicago mayoral election. It seems like they’ve been running for at least a year…

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 8:40 am
I drove my lady out to a god forsaken, extremely rural, township shed to judge today. I didn’t want her going out there alone in the dark. They sent her there to help a new judge. Eleven voters showed up at the last election of this sort. I’m feeling sorry for her, and at the same time very proud of her. She’s a devoted judge.

Comment by Stix Hix Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 8:47 am
Slow news day today. /s

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 8:51 am
Light but steady turnout in my suburban precinct.

Now the tough choice: which victory party to attend?

Vote early and often.

Comment by Suburbanon Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 8:56 am
Here in Crystal Lake, the mayoral election is entirely write-in. The incumbent didn’t file his paperwork properly and got challenged. However, the only mayoral signs I’ve seen around the city are for Haig. He’ll win, but the official election report should have some interesting names and totals further down the long-tailed list.

Comment by The Truth Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 9:07 am
My wife and I were Nos. 22 and 23 in our Rogers Park precinct around 7:30 a.m.

Comment by Northsider Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 9:16 am
I won’t be voting today. It’s not due to any ideology issue. It’s not due to anyone finding out which ballot I ask for. It’s merely the fact that there isn’t a single real contested race in my little village. There are no party affiliated races today either. Every village trustee and school board candidate will get in. My vote is meaningless since I know of no one waging a write in campaign.

Comment by thoughts matter Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 9:40 am
I voted a bit before 7, and I was the first person to use that machine this morning.

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 9:42 am
After the big push for mail in ballots for everyone for any reason, I’m surprised anybody still votes in person.
I voted weeks ago.

Comment by Tequila Mockingbird Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 9:42 am
Washington Park @7:30 saw the voter tally at 16 voters. Absolutely amazes me that people don’t exercise their right to vote. To many people have fought and gave the ultimate sacrifice for that right. Regardless of political opinions, its so important to vote!

Comment by reddevil1 Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 9:46 am
==It’s not due to anyone finding out which ballot I ask for.==

Nobody is finding that out. This isn’t a primary.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 9:48 am
Oscar will get 1 write in vote for Mayor of Chicago. He was a much better choice than who else was on the ballot

Comment by NotRich Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 9:49 am
Tequila, I dragged it out because I was undecided for the longest time. Flip flopped numerous times. Made a decision last night so will vote in person today (holding my nose as I do).

Comment by Original Rambler Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 9:53 am
== Oscar will get 1 write in vote for Mayor of Chicago. He was a much better choice than who else was on the ballot ==

Oh, fer Daley’s sake, I knew there had to be a third option (banned punctuation).

Comment by Northsider Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:02 am
=Here in Crystal Lake, the mayoral election is entirely write-in. =

Wish some decent candidate had organized a write-in campaign in Chicago.
Someone.
Anyone.

Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:13 am
I like voting in person. I realize there are other options, but this is the one I choose.

Precinct update: Total ghost town. The good news was there were a couple of twenty-somethings learning the ropes as election workers. A bit of hope for the future.

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:15 am
Today may be the kind of weather where early voting would have been great. How foolish it is to discourage early voting.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:19 am
My polling place in West Central Illinois was occupied by election judges and me at 0640, this morning. I am hoping for a decent turnout since I am running in a local race against incumbants.

Comment by oifredleg Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:21 am
We are near 50 voters in each of the near northwest side precincts I’m watching.

Comment by Day Late Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:23 am
Don’t feel too sad, Reddevil1. I used to be one of those Washington Park voters but I’m a confirmed vote-by-mail voter now. I still care enough to vote - just found a much easier way to do it.

Comment by Rachel Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:30 am
=How foolish it is to discourage early voting.=

Am I missing something? I don’t recall any news stories about people being discouraged to not vote early.

Comment by Anon 10:30 Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:30 am
Correction and clarification: I don’t recall people being encouraged to vote on election day and not vote early.

Comment by Anon 10:30 Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:32 am
==Oscar will get 1 write in vote for Mayor of Chicago. He was a much better choice than who else was on the ballot==

As will Empty Shirt in Springfield, after last week’s “Campaign.”

Comment by Stuck in Celliniland Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:40 am
Skipped voting this time; dearth of information on school board candidates in terrible districts; library board has two incumbents and an open seat with nobody running for it; Village Trustees are incumbents likely to retain seats because their challengers barely advertised candidacies, so they’re unknowns. Didn’t go past polling places, so no idea how turnout in 60827/60419 is.

Comment by thisjustinagain Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:42 am
Nearly 300,000 votes in Chicago cast via early voting (184,723) and mail-in ballots (107,868). Total VBM applications = 199,706. Yesterday early voting set a record - 30,044 in one day! Top five wards for early voting and received mail votes are 19th, 41st, 47th, 45th, 43rd. Not a good sign for BJ.

Comment by phocion Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:50 am
Out my way Geneva in Kane County turn out light this morning. But if people vote early or by mail I would think Election Day turnout would become lighter automatically. I also was amazed at the number of uncontested slots and the number of empty no candidate filed. Not enough on park board library and fire and college boards

Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:51 am
Re: reddevil1/Rachel

Washington Park is also my polling place, and this is my first election within the precinct. VBM for life for me and my partner.

Comment by The Dude Abides Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 10:55 am
are we there yet? looking forward to no more commercials from more money and more police. far more focused on proceedings happening several states away.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 11:00 am
68th voter in River North precinct at 10:15.
A bit high for the precinct at that time.

Comment by Back to the Future Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 11:08 am
Chicagos 26th ward voting center has a steady stream of 15 people in line when I dropped off my ballot.

Comment by twowaystreet Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 11:34 am
I got the word, but no details, that former central Illinois news personality Molly Hall has passed away. I knew her and worked with her and will miss her smile.

Comment by Give Us Barabbas Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 11:41 am
144 in Lena, Il. at 10:30. Not bad for consolidaed and only 3 races.

Comment by Bergie Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 11:44 am
consolidated

Comment by Bergie Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 11:46 am
Not many voters at my precinct, but I went at a weird time. There was a guy SCREAMING at people just outside the “no politicking” boundary, which I have never had happen before; he was screaming that “America is over” and that they were coming for his guns. Which was a little hilarious given that a pair of cops were standing 20 feet away just watching him lose his damn mind, but it was genuinely upsetting to be screamed at while going to vote.

Only two Republicans on the ballot in my suburb, and they both ran as “anti-union independents” because apparently the (R) is ballot poison.

(The union they’re anti is the teacher’s union, and the reason is that all the teachers are teaching critical race theory to kindergardeners, so you know, normal stuff.)

Comment by Suburban Mom Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 11:51 am
Over 8,000 either early voted or voted by mail according to the Pantagraph this morning. Our two precincts inNormal have been steady. School referendum lost in November so the district is trying again. There are contested races for school board and Normal council with candidates supported by the right wing radio station.

Comment by Nearly Normal Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 11:58 am
We have a fresh thread https://capitolfax.com/2023/04/04/afternoon-precinct-reports-3/

Closing this one.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 4, 23 @ 12:04 pm