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* I asked Dan Curry, an old buddy who does PR for the DuPage County Election Commission, to explain what happened with their primary ballots. As you already know, the ballots were cut just a little too big and they won’t fit into the counting machines. This is a problem in at least 24 counties, according to the Board of Elections…
Jane Gasperin of the Illinois State Board of Elections says all votes will be counted, but tallying may go slower than usual in affected counties.
She says ballots from two vendors are causing problems in 24 counties. But not all precincts in those counties are affected. Some ballots are fine, even in the affected precincts.
Counties reporting ballot size problems are: Winnebago, Vermilion, Iroquois, Douglas, Knox, Grundy, McLean, Warren, Lee, Bond, Bureau, Christian, Clark, Coles, DeWitt, DuPage, Edgar, Macon, Macoupin, Moultrie, Putnam, Rock Island, Shelby and Tazewell.
* Anyway, according to Curry, the company DuPage uses is called ABS Graphics.
The county has used the printer for “23 elections straight” and it has “printed 15 million ballots without problems,” Curry said. The firm, Curry said, was selected because of its “close proximity, high security, high capacity and backup capabilities.”
When the problem was spotted, “ballots were reprinted and replaced within a couple of hours,” Curry claimed, adding, “As with all elections, a post-election day review will be done of all procedures and problems to make sure they don’t happen again.”
* Meanwhile, some tinfoil hat types noticed something sinister on ABC7’s website last night. From the Ron Paul Revolution website…
Illinois Primary Results A Day Early, Santorum Wins!
The Illinois primary is tomorrow, 3/20/12 but it looks like Chicago’s ABC 7 News has somehow obtained the results a day early. Not sure how ABC News came up with these results or if it means anything but it is interesting.
The blogger posted a screenshot on the site as well.
* And then somebody else posted video “proof” that ABC7 had already called the election in a video entitled “BREAKING: ELECTION FRAUD? Why Did ABC-TV Post Illinois GOP Primary Results 24 Hours Early?!”…
* Eventually, the station issued an explanation via Twitter…
It was a test. The website results that appeared before polls opened were test results. Actual results will appear after the polls close.
The AP typically sends out test results the day before an election and news sites post them to see if their systems are working. No need to be alarmed.
* OK, let’s get back to the afternoon discussion. What’s going on out there? Details, please.
* Announcement: We’ll have live news video starting at 4:30 this afternoon.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 2:08 pm
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Gamrath has the biggest election day operation I’ve ever seen for a judicial subcircuit. Seems like Reilly has people passing in every precinct in the Johnson/Mitchell district. Heavy GOP activity in 42. They actually had people passing which seems like a first. It seems like the focus is 42 ward committeeman rather than President. Some precincts had more GOP than Dem votes. Smithburg had real signs out, while Kelly had mailers taped up.
Comment by Jasper Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 2:28 pm
I voted just after 1 p.m. in my 49th Ward precinct. I was the 44th voter of the day.
Comment by Northsider Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 2:36 pm
Voted and then listened to the election judges stir about which ballot I picked up because of who my employer is. Classy.
Comment by Shemp Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 2:38 pm
Light turnout at a school with two of the largest precincts in Schaumburg. Just one passer outside — a Republican working for Patlak.
Comment by reformer Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 2:38 pm
Reminds me of when Diebold accidently leaked the presidential election results early:
http://www.theonion.com/video/diebold-accidentally-leaks-results-of-2008-electio,14214/
Comment by siriusly Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 2:43 pm
I think I’m sunburned.
Comment by Don't Worry, Be Happy Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 2:43 pm
Don’t we go through this “how did the paper/television station/web site get the results early” every election for years now? It’s a test, people — nothing to see here.
Comment by the Other Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 2:44 pm
“OK, it’s 3 o’clock, we want your ‘ballots cast’ and the number of ‘pluses’ voted. Start running your ‘pluses’ after 5 …”
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 2:55 pm
Things seem pretty quiet for the most part. My guess is that voters / media won’t be blaming low turnout on the weather this year.
Comment by Stones Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:00 pm
Perhaps the weather is too nice for people to take time to vote. Who benefits the most from a low turnout?
Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:08 pm
If that many people vote in the Republican election, fraud would be a good answer for it.
Comment by OurMagician Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:11 pm
@Wensicia
Depends where the low turnout is coming from. I am in a suburban area so the low turnout would hurt Romney / help Santorum. Can’t comment about downstate.
If people can’t vote in nice weather or poor weather, when can they vote? It is a very sad commentary on society as a whole IMHO.
Comment by Stones Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:12 pm
@Stones,
It’s a commentary on the quality of the candidates.
Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:14 pm
I know an attorney who has been waiting in line for 75 minutes to file a pleading at the Daley Center. He says the clerk’s office is a ghost town and has never seen it that empty. Wonder where everybody went!?!?
Comment by Rocky Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:19 pm
You know what doesn’t need “good” weather, or “bad” weather … a good field organization.
Good field organizations work upstate or downstate, they know “their” voters, and Election Day seems to run smoother for canidates with … a field organization.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:19 pm
I’m not happy that I can’t vote in my new Chicago Ward until 2015. I feel like I’m wasting my energy in my ward regardless of which one I’m active in. Seems like Chicago Aldermen dropped the ball…again.
Comment by David Lawson Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:27 pm
@Rocky - I’m sure they’re busy bringing the clerk’s office into the 20th century.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:28 pm
I voted in IL-3 this morn at 8am. I was the 6th voter to arrive at the polls. Husband just came home from work and said he just voted and was the 48th voter. Geeeez!
Comment by Ethel Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:29 pm
Just voted. Precinct was deserted. Judges were in the hall chatting with people who work in the building. Looked like about thirty people had voted ahead of me. Five Plummer signs, but no others.
Comment by Way Way Down Here Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:30 pm
I love Ron Paul supporters. So earnest, and so…eccentric.
Comment by In 630 Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:37 pm
Always interesting to see low turnout then several more months of back and forth over which candidate/party is trying “to take away our liberties”
Comment by Hank Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:55 pm
The ballot-size issue reminded me of back in the day when rebellion against “do not fold, spindle or mutilate” was to soak the punchcard in a solution of bleach and water for a short period of time so that it shrank when it dried just ever so much that it would gum up the telephone company’s processing. Probably urban legend, but was always a great Rebel W/O a Clue fantasy.
Comment by D.P. Gumby Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 3:57 pm
@Wensicia
Certainly many voters are not satisfied with their choices but primary election turnouts have been dismal for years. I still believe that the population has an unstated obligation to exercise their right to vote, even if that means the lesser of two (or four) evils in one’s eyes.
Comment by Stones Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 4:04 pm
Man, this is like watching concrete dry. I hate late afternoons on election day.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 4:05 pm
I gotta believe low turnout is a result of low enthusiasm for the candidates. Mitt/Santorum is really the only race to get excited about, and if GOP voters aren’t feeling it, that’s probably not a good omen for November. Good weather just evens the playing field. Bad weather would be good news for any candidate generating real excitement since it would keep low enthusiasm voters at home. That’s just not the case this time around.
Comment by Deep South Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 4:07 pm
Oh, I wonder if Obama will get more votes that the GOP winner?
Comment by Deep South Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 4:08 pm
Rich, maybe you should post a predictions thread? Who wins, Romney or Santorum, and by how much? Kinzinger or Manzullo? Just a thought, that might get people posting.
Comment by ZC Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 4:09 pm
Not only does the IEA mailier from the earlier post have Sidmore listed as a Democrat, it also lists the wrong office. Sidmore is running for the House not the Senate
Comment by DeKalbVoter Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 4:11 pm
Good idea, ZC. I’ll do that in a bit. Need to walk away from the puter for a while. Long night ahead.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 4:12 pm
Kane County and Aurora specifically are having the same ballot issues.
Comment by Kane Cal Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 4:14 pm
Rich,
Election afternoons are like the Movie “The Untouchables”;
“Don’t wait for it to happen. Don’t even want it to happen. Just watch what does happen.”
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 4:21 pm
I just got a robocall attacking the Chicago Tribune as corrupt and a corporate mouthpiece. It specifically cited Rick Pearson as lobbying public officials for jobs for his family. The call to action was to call Bruce Dold and ask him to resign.
No indication whom the call was from.
Anybody else get the call?
Comment by Carl Nyberg Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 4:25 pm
Very good turn out in LeRoy, population 3,500 (McLean Co.). 500 voters at 4:00. Nice new computerized set-up too.
Comment by Rayne of Terror Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 4:29 pm
I have noticed there have been at least 3 commercials on MSNBC today for Mitchell in the Mitchell/Johnson race despite not seeing any at any point before the election.
Hope he got an election day discount.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 4:50 pm
Looks like capt fax is censoring today
Comment by CicularFiringSquad Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 5:03 pm
I voted at a school. I parked at a spot on school grounds and walked on the sidewalk less than a block to the entrance. On the way a guy handed me a card showing our mayor’s choices. What are the rules on that?
Thanks.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 5:14 pm
Anonymous, I believe they have to stay 100 feet from the entry of the polling place.
Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 5:21 pm
Northwest burb, my area was just recently remapped into CD6. Didn’t have many signs out here–mostly Santorum. Fairly crowded around 5:00, things went very smoothly, and very pleasantly as always. (And, my first chance to vote for Peter Roskam. (Yay!))
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 5:51 pm
I was disappointed to see how few people bothered to vote in my precinct. I will grant that there were very few exciting races to gin up turnout. Clerk of the Circuit Court and judicial contests do not grab many voters. I also did not see anyone working the precincts before the primary. By that I mean zero activity apart from those people who posted signs for their own candidates.
At the polling places, the workers were simply going through the motions. I voted this afternoon and the precinct had not yet turned out fifty voters in total. There are over three hundred registered voters here.
Comment by Esquire Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 6:03 pm
Up here in Rock Island County they won’t even give the kiddie’s a I VOTED sticker but they made me pay well over a dollar to mail my votes in.
Comment by lil' enchilada Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 6:25 pm
No excitement in DuPage at 6:00pm. Only two other voters in the place. No ballot problems.
Also- refreshingly, no smirking or headshaking when requesting a Dem ballot. A lot different from my first time voting here in 1984.
Comment by DuPage Dave Tuesday, Mar 20, 12 @ 7:35 pm