Early Voting Numbers In 2018 Surpass 2014, 2010 Illinois Primary Elections
Early voting numbers for the 2018 Illinois primary election have nearly tripled from 2014, according to data from the Chicago Board of Elections and the Cook County Clerk’s Office. Some 176,564 people in Cook County cast ballots before Sunday, with an additional 40,072 voters in Chicago requesting mail-in ballots. In 2014, the number was 79,134. Election officials say it’s too early though to tell what overall turnout in Tuesday’s primary election will be. “It’s too soon to say how much higher turnout will be relative to 2014, as these numbers partly reflect more people accepting Early Voting and Vote By Mail,” said Jim Allen, a spokesperson for the Chicago Board of Elections. “However, we feel certain that turnout will easily surpass the super-low 16.5% rate of the 2014 primary.” The Sun-Times has a full Ward-by-Ward rundown of early ballots cast in Chicago.