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At two weeks of polling day, voters in Illinois are already going to the polls.
So far, more than 200,000 ballots have been cast on advance voting sites or by mail, according to the Illinois State Election Council. It is too early to say whether the number of anticipated votes in 2016 and 2014 will be greater than or equal to this year's number – about 1.9 million and 800,000, respectively. But election officials expect an increase in the number of anticipated votes this year, with some of the polls open late September and more than 100 this week, in Chicago and Cook County in the suburbs – and tens beyond.
Click on your county – DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry or Will – to learn more about polling locations.
The suburban county of Cook has recorded a record increase in the number of registrations, with nearly 1.6 million people currently on the roll, officials said. in 2016, Cook County election officers counted 1.51 million. Voter registrations in the region have also increased so much that some electoral agencies are reporting figures that exceed their 2016 totals – a remarkable achievement, as presidential elections generally attract much more interest than the mid-term elections. -parcours.
And Chicago expects to see a record number of mail ballot applications this year, with 95,000 applications filed so far; Of the ballots returned by mail, 59 percent were cast by women, municipal election officials said.
Illinois Voting Guide: Get the latest news from the campaign, information about the candidates and their opinion before the midterm elections.
Experts point out that the polarizing presidency of President Donald Trump and the fierce fighting elsewhere are the reasons for increased voter interest this year. The political battle between outgoing governor Bruce Rauner and challenger JB Pritzker – who broke all Illinois spending records – as well as four decisive races in the House that could tip the balance of power in Congress also contribute to influencing voter decisions. Head to the polls this fall, experts said.
These problems may not be enough to reduce voter turnout, say the experts. Voters can also simply respond to state efforts to facilitate registration and voting.
The majority of Illinois voters are still waiting for polling day to vote, but in the meantime we are seeing the votes begin to arrive in the state. Here's what you need to know about early voting:
How do you vote early?
Until Sunday, advance voting in person was only offered on specific sites in each jurisdiction. However, as of Monday, the permanent polling stations in the state's constituencies have opened. You can find the location and times of a polling station near you on the Illinois Elections Council website.
Voters in Illinois may also request postal votes until November 1 st. As long as they are posted before polling day, they are counted.
You are not yet registered to vote? Do not worry. Illinois has started offering voter registration the same day at the polls in 2016, so residents can register and vote all at the same time, even on polling day.
Where are the first voters of Illinois?
Not surprisingly, the electoral agency reporting the largest number of early voters comes from the largest city in the state. To date, more than 30,000 people in Chicago have already voted in person early or postponed a vote by mail. According to officials, advance votes generally have a higher voting rate in the second half of October, as election day approaches.
Looking at the percentage of people voting early according to the population, the story is quite different. Voters across the state are taking advantage of the extended early voting period introduced in 2016, even at slightly higher rates in the Downstate than in the north.
How many people voted early in the past?
A higher percentage of Illinois residents vote early in the presidential elections, probably because these races generally generate more interest. In the presidential elections since 2008, the percentage of voters in Illinois who voted early voted increased.
The same increase can be seen comparing one middle term to another. The number of people who voted in early 2014 has increased slightly compared to 2010.
This could result from state efforts to make voting more convenient. Extensions made in 2016 gave Illinois voters more choice as to when and where they wanted to vote. The state also introduced postal vote "without excuse" in 2010 to give residents the opportunity to vote in the comfort of their homes without specifying grounds for the absence of the ballot.
Morgan Greene, journalist at the Chicago Tribune.
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