Early Voting continues today and tomorrow, but already 25,000 suburban Cook County voters have cast ballots for the Feb. 2 Primary Election, Clerk David Orr said Wednesday.
"Participation is building in the final days of Early Voting," Orr said. "There is still time to vote early if you know you can't make it to your precinct on Tuesday."
With 25,546 early voters and two days of Early Voting remaining, turnout in suburban Cook County has surpassed Early Voting turnout during the 2006 gubernatorial primary election. That was the first time Early Voting was offered and 15,609 people participated.
Early Voting is on track to beat the 25,737 ballots cast during Early Voting for the 2009 consolidated election, but will likely not overcome the historic turnout of 51,116 prior to the 2008 presidential primary.
For cumulative turnout totals by Early Voting location, please visit cookcountyclerk.com. Early Voting ends Thursday, Jan. 28. Suburban voters can use any of the Clerk's 42 Early Voting locations, regardless of where they live. All 42 locations are open today and tomorrow from 9 a.m to 5 p.m.
Through Tuesday night, Orland Park Village Hall has welcomed more than 2,100 voters. Centennial Park in Wilmette and Wheeling Township Hall take the second and third spots, with 1,662 and 1,291 voters respectively.
Registered voters do not need an excuse to vote early, but they must bring a government-issued photo ID to their Early Voting site. All Early Voting is conducted on touch screens. Anyone who casts a ballot during Early Voting may not vote on Election Day.
In a primary election, voters can vote for candidates of one party only. There are three established political parties in Illinois: Republican, Democratic and Green party. When voting early or on Election Day, you must indicate your party preference. Non-partisan ballots list referenda, if any, but not contests for party nominations.
Write-in candidate listThe following six people have completed the necessary steps to become official write-in candidates in suburban Cook County for the Feb. 2 election.
DemocraticJonathan Farnick, U.S. Congress, 8th District
Republican
Ray Wardingley, U.S. Congress, 1st District
Kurt R. Kojzarek, State Senator, 22nd District
Jeffrey A. Meyer, State Senator, 22nd District
Phil Collins, State Representative, 17th District
Green Party Phil Huckelberry, U.S. Congress, 10th District
In Illinois, write-in candidates had until Dec. 3, 2009 to submit a Declaration of Intent form to each election authority where they want their votes to be counted. An exception is made for candidates who filed nomination papers and were removed by an electoral board or court decision. Their deadline to file write-in candidate paperwork was 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The Clerk's office provides a list of eligible write-in candidates to each precinct on Election Day. Election judges use the list to determine write-in candidates who are eligible to have their votes counted.
Voters can vote for a write-in candidate on an optical scan ballot or a touch-screen machine. While the correct spelling of a candidate's name is preferred, election judges are instructed to accept a vote if the intent of their choice can be inferred from the spelling.