* What are you seeing out there at the polls? What’s the weather?
- posted by Rich Miller
- Matt - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 4:11 am:
It’s an honor to have the first post in this thread! It looks like like it will be relatively mild today, between 27-33 degrees on the north side of Chi. Potential for a little snow. I’m about to head out to my polling place to begin setting everything up.
- matt - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 4:52 am:
Correction: couple inches of snow in Chicago. Its still coming down relatively lightly.
- Josh Kilroy - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 4:56 am:
Light snow on the ground in Robyn Gabel’s headquarters in Evanston.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 4:56 am:
In the last 48 hours a growing majority of the people I have talked to; almost all of whom are regular primary election votrs, are throwing up their hands in disgust with both parties and are planning on staying home.
People have become disillusioned by their government, and disheartened by the pre-election polls, which continue to suggest a level of ongoing insanity within both parties.
This leads them to believe that they have no voice, and that their vote does not matter in the intramural contests because the game is rigged by entrenched partisan leadership interests, that won’t support no one that nobody sent.
The voters are angry and upset allright, but the sense that I am getting from Demcrats and Republicans alike is that the one thing that they are yearning for most, is a credible; independent third party option, for every office, at every level of government. They are looking for an alternative, and in the absence of that option are choosing “none of the above” by simply staying home.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 4:59 am:
Fourth!
Cold in Chicago, area clerks are predicting below average turn-out, I still think we’ll be at the 2006 mark in Cook County.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 5:00 am:
Quinn –
If Steve Neal were still with us, he’d be writing that this could be the year that Rich Whitney gives the Duopoly a run for its money.
- anon - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 5:00 am:
SNOW!!
- Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 5:08 am:
I’m just excited it’s election day! Given the absurdly early primary, 30 and cloudy with light snow in Chicago is about as good as we could have expected.
It’s time for some change. Now get out and vote!
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 5:10 am:
Morning papers remind us that Illinois’ is the first primary in the country, and the only notable one until May.
- Cris - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 5:21 am:
Yellowdog- Find a Repub endorsement flyer, and (for the most part) ignore it. There’s your third party.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 5:23 am:
A quick spin around the area indicates that all of the Hendon signs seem to have disappeared already, while the ones out there for Terry seem to still be Linked-In.
One notable observation; there must have been 30 O’Brien campaign workers fueling up at the Dunkin Donuts. I am not sure where they are all coming from; none from the area here, but there seemed to be no shortage of enthusiasm. O’Brien must have had enough left in the tank to spring for the dounts and coffee anyway.
- Just wondering - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 5:36 am:
More than a dusting on the south side. My loyal husband/campaign mgr is already out the door. I’m making sure the family/volunteers have all the supplies they need then I’m gone. My first time as a cadidate….It’s like childbirth. You’ve done everything you were suppose to. Now, let’s just get this thing over with! Wish me luck!!!!
- SweetLou - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 5:36 am:
Quinn, only a fool doesn’t factor election day coffee and donuts into their operating budget from the get-go.
- Donovan - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 5:42 am:
At 5:30 AM and 45 miles south of Chicago, it is 25 degrees above and there is maybe a 1/2 inch of snow on the ground. The wife left at 4:45 AM to do her gig as an election judge. Expecting a low turnout (which may actually help Andrzejewski and Proft). After knocking on doors and calling people on the phone (and sometimes getting doors slammed on me and phones hung up on me) for my preferred candidate for the past few days, I have to admit that I will be glad when today is over with. Yet, I found myself still getting excited this morning and badgering my wife as she went out the door to let me know if she is seeing a light or medium voter turnout at the polling place. It is funny how once you get to be a political junkie, you realize how it becomes so ingrained in you.
I am anxious to see at the end of the day if the voters in Illinois are “truly” unhappy with the way that things in county, state, & national government have been going since the last election.
- Anon3 - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 5:55 am:
Rich, with that WashPost link you once again show your national importance.
- Cindy Lou - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 6:04 am:
Not enough snow or winds with it out here to get excited about, no excuse on that part to stay home.
Quinn was down here intown yesterday, Hynes’ people on phone last night. The Mr. CL would not listen to robo calls so not sure who the other 2 calls were from, he beat me to them. News keeps reminding us on both radio and tv that turnout is expected to be low…if they’d shut up and stop telling us that more might get off their buns and venture out to vote.
- matt - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 6:09 am:
Polls now open
- UISer - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 6:22 am:
My precinct is going to have extremely light turnout. Maybe 15%. We have no weather problems in Springfield. My polling place had a Terry Link for Lt. Gov sign. Still scratching my head to where that came from.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 6:25 am:
Well at least not everyone has lost their sense of humor.
I stopped in a non-franchise burger/hot dog joint where they keep one of those large clear pickle jars out on the counter for display. At the risk of being banished for the day before Bill has even arisen, I’ll limit my description of the scene by letting you know they placed a sign on top of the jar for a certain congressional candidate with the last name of Green.
- Obamarama - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 6:36 am:
Snowing rather steadily in DuPage. I got my first call from a precinct committeeman about an electronic machine being down at 6:05. Sigh, here we go again out here.
- Opened Up - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 6:51 am:
Everything open in Chicago and Cook.
- Das Man - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:00 am:
High thin clouds, still a pretty good moon out there at 6:00 am. Three people lined up at the polling place. They opened a few minutes late. Chaos. The new ballot has a perforation running across the top, that never happened before. Still pulling ballots out of the plastic wrap. Cast the first ballot for Hoffman/Gill/Quinn/Turner/Krishnamoorthi/Kelly, plus some locals. The machine made a clunking noise, not a beep that would have indicated an incomplete ballot.
Turnout not expected to be high. When I asked 3 local self employed people yesterday about the Primary, two of them did not even know it was happening, and the third had heard about it, but wasn’t sure why it was so early in February.
The University has granted a 2% pay cut to it’s employees, most of them seem to think that the world is coming to end - we’ll see how many shadows they cast at the polling place today
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:05 am:
7th voter in my precinct at 6:35 a.m. No line. Light snow but not really cold or windy. Walking the dog last night, saw another “Stroger, For Us/Fritchey” sign at a street corner; would have taken it down if not for two other dog walkers in the immediate vicinity.
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:07 am:
Just had a door hanger put on my front door for Ann Williams with my polling place on it–too late, already voted for Ed Mullen!
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:09 am:
High, thin clouds in Shelbyville. About 33 degrees, very sporadic flurries if you look close enough. I’ll go to the polls in an hour or so. A local referendum on an additional 1% education dedicated sales tax may bring out a few more voters, but a light turnout is expected.
- So Suburban Chgo - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:12 am:
First few people were trickling in, no waits in my part of the Chicago south suburbs at 6:30am.
Time to SHOW UP or SHUT UP people…
- Blue Dog - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:14 am:
No weather problems in Sangamon County. Turnout was around 19% in 2006, & I think it will be similar today. Terry Link sign at my polling place too, but I think I know who the local culprit is.
- phocion - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:17 am:
Light snow still falling in Chicagoland. Going to vote in a few, then off to work. Should be an interesting election night.
- regular democrat - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:18 am:
Just voted in the 47th ward. Quite a line at polling place. Voter number 37. Woke up to a Farley worker putting reminder on door.
- Speaking At Will - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:23 am:
31 degrees and cloudy in Murphysboro. Heavy turnout at my polling place, however I suspect most of it is for a local Tax assessors race.
- matt - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:30 am:
After an hour and a half, 6 voters in this Chicago 48th ward precinct.
- JakeCP - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:33 am:
I’m currently election judging in the 43rd Ward in Chicago and it seems sort of quiet. People may be waiting for the snow to whine down. How have you been Mr. Miller?
- Richard Afflis - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:34 am:
I brought my two, two year-old sons with me to vote. We did not get in anyone’s way because there was only one other person voting. I was the second person at the polling place today. I voted just over a half an hour ago. It is snowing lightly today. It is under seventy degrees out. That should not be an excuse for people not to vote. I get disgusted every year when the people who complain the most about who hold office are the ones who can’t even tear themselves away from General Hospital long enough to vote.
- Vote Jacob Meister - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:34 am:
There are a ton of Jacob Meister signs in Bucktown. Who puts up signs for a candidate that dropped out of the race just days ago? These were fresh signs too, not holdovers from before.
- Champion - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:34 am:
Down here in the Terre Haute market the temp isn’t too bad but the precip will be a little pesky. Throughout the region temps will run from 30-40 with a little sleet/freezing rain/snow in the north thru late morning but no accumulation expected.
- CONCERNED - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:38 am:
I was only the 9th voter in my area in Springfield …..going to be very light due to number of State employees wanting their party affiliation to remain anonymous…
- journeyman - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:38 am:
jason plummer unqualified oppertunist sure glad he doesnt spell it p l u m b e r
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:39 am:
@ 7;05, the Starbucks on Rt. 34 in Oswego had a 10 min wait in the drive thru for my coffee … went to vote… as #9 voter @ 7:20 … LIGHT turnout …
- Lucy - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:40 am:
79/Pulaski (Chicago-Madigan territory)@5:30 witnessed 6 volunteers putting up candidate signs on main streets from both parties….dont think the gop signs will last…but snows continues to come down…gonna be a slow day…
- N'ville - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:44 am:
About an inch on the ground and light snow in Naperville. Calls on the answering machine last night when I got home from work from Brady, McKenna, Proft, Ryan and Murphy’s daughter.
- Oneman - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:45 am:
Multiple pcts in aurora at my polling place. At 7 some had 2 voters so far, some none. Light snow just enough to make you pay attention while driving.
- Brennan - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:46 am:
I cast the first ballot in my precinct in the 49th Ward. Streets were empty. There’s an inch of snow on the ground and it’s still falling. It’s winter warm out there thanks to the snow. It feels like mid 30s, but it’s probably registering in the high 20s.
- chief illiniwek - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:48 am:
Lot of people in 2nd ward precinct in South Loop at 6:00am. Lot of angry voters.
- train111 - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:51 am:
Tn of Winfield Western DuPage–went in with the wife, mother in law and 5 year old bundled in a blanket. No wait. One other person there the whole time. In 2008 a line went out the door–so pretty lite turnout it seems.
train111
- Peggy SO-IL - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:52 am:
In Metro-East (near STL, MO), folks are calling radio stations to report many people pulling the GOP ballot. Callers voted for Adam, though they can’t pronounce his last name. Excited about him. Some can’t recall US Senate name, but probably not Kirk. Some did say they voted for Patrick Hughes.
I will vote after I get the kids to school. In a town
- Peggy SO-IL - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:54 am:
SOmething got garbled in my post. Oh, well. Important info made it. We’re in a small town.
- Cindy Lou - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 7:58 am:
Well, that was entertaining. Five tries to get my last name right, then she checks Republican instead of Democrat. I squeal “NO”, she tries to cross out Repulican box and checks Democrat.
Next lady at table glances at it, announces for 3rd lady to bring up Repulican ballot. Again I shout “NO”, 3rd lady freezes, double reviews and brings me up a Democrat ballot. None was done intentionally, I think it had more to do with a newbie at table.
I did not chance what might happen if I undervoted so I entered a vote for US Senate (no clue where I came from with my vote selection there, it was last second).
- In the Loop - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:01 am:
Reports from the field: Fox news at Wicker park polling location doing interviews. Poll watcher at wicker Park in Chicago reports 15 voters since open, dismal turnout. Traditionally a high turnout polling place, maybe the voters will show after work.
- Bill - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:05 am:
I’ve been up for hours Quinn. Everything’s ready. We all set to go. Plenty of coffee and donuts. All we need are voters who haven’t appeared yet. We’ve done all we can do. Let’s bring this one home.
- Bill - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:18 am:
I love America. This is what it is all about.
- Jtesq - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:21 am:
I was the fourth person to vote at my polling place at Division and Ashland — at 6:50 a.m. That can’t be good for turnout.
- Deep South - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:23 am:
I voted at about 7:40 a.m. and was number 20. I’d call that light even for the very small southern Illinois town where I live.
- JM WI Transplant - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:29 am:
Pretty slow in the Chicago Northside, a couple of folks trickling in around 7 am after me.
- RedDawg - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:31 am:
The state employees need to take a stand and support either the Right or left and get off the fence and the independents.
- Reformer - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:31 am:
Steady snow in the Northwest suburbs. A couple inches already on the ground.
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:34 am:
I did note that this was the first time in a couple years that the poll worker did not ask to see my driver’s license or any other photo ID. That is the way it used to be but not the way it has been in every election in the past few years.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:34 am:
pretty slow in western suburbs of westchester. Stroger has a presence here in every precinct i visited.
Lots of Forys and Brandt signs.
- TimB - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:36 am:
Posted previously as anonymous, sorry. Just voted in Shelbyville. One polling place serves two precincts. One precinct had 21 voters by 8:15, deemed “average” by the judges. My wife and I, in the other precinct were only number 4 and 5. My son, voting in yet another precinct in a smaller town, had to wait a few moments and reported 3 more pickups pulling in with Husband and wife teams as he left. Might be considered “good”.
- anon - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:38 am:
Ann Williams signs are lighting up the northside! She has people at every polling place. Quite an impressive operation she has going.
- Sacks Romana - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:41 am:
Ward 35 - Precinct 28
Everything was very organized. They had all ballots (Dem, Pub, Green, and Non-partisan) in plain view, and asked for my affiliation (not “Democrat or Republican”). I asked for my Green Party ballot and voted for all the best people: Rich Whitney, LeAlan Jones, Erika Schafer, Tom Tresser, Jeremy Karpen, and plenty of others you’ll be happy to see in November instead of the dissapointments getting nominated today by the Dems and Pubs.
Anyway, it was 7:58am and I was the 9th voter.
- Concerned Observer - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:46 am:
Romeoville/Lockport area, Will County. 6th person to vote, at 6:50 AM. My polling place has two precincts, but I’m not sure how many people had voted in the other one. Not like there was a line, or even anyone else voting.
And they didn’t have ‘I Voted’ stickers. Budget cutbacks. That bummed me out.
- JakeCP - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:50 am:
Former CPS Board President Rufus Williams justcame and casted his vote along with his wife. Anyone se any faour people at their polling places?
- A matter of trust - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:51 am:
Springfield is rather warm considering. The polls have been slow, slow, slow.
- babs - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:51 am:
Chicago n’west side, 7:15 I was the 9th voter and the other precinct in the same polling place had only had 2 voters. Still snowing, actually coming down harder now but it’s an easy, pretty snow. The weather is not what is keeping voters away. The count in my area is good news for Preckwinkle, the area is probably good for O’Brien, so the lower the turnout the better for Toni.
- Highland, IL - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:55 am:
Polls had been open for an hour & I was voter number 5. Only one other person showed up & I was there a while in the parking working on my phone.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:55 am:
DeWitt County light winds from the south and overcast. Turnout this AM is expected to be stronger in the eastern portion of the County due to an ambulence referendum for Farmer City and in DeWitt County Board District C due to a contested Republican Primary race. A contentious GOP Sheriff’s race for an open seat is happening between a former Sheriff and a current Deputy which is also supposed to create more than normal turnout.
- McVoter - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:56 am:
In McHenry County, about 2 inches of snow, and more coming… Polling areas show an average turn out for this time of day…. many local races going on, tons of Hynes signs up around polling places. Thinking it will be a bigger turn out with the after work voters.
- Opened Up - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 8:58 am:
Nothing going on. Anywhere.
- north shorer - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:00 am:
At 7 am in northern suburbs i was number 20 in my precinct. Fairly average. Steady stream of people at the other precinct in the village hall.
SNOWING
- Brooke - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:01 am:
At 7:45 this AM, there were just a handful of people at my polling place in Chicago’s 42nd Ward….I was out of there within 5 minutes.
- cermak_rd - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:02 am:
Light turnout thus far in north Berwyn. A little snow, but nothing too bad. I walked to my polling place. I’ve never seen such inattentive, desultory poll walkers ever! There were a couple of guys, but they didn’t say hello, hand me a palm card or thank me after voting. If there’s a machine here, it obviously didn’t care about the outcome!
Oh, and there was a creepy guy in a suit watching at my precinct table. Do we have some kind of official Federal election watchers or something?
- Niles Township - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:04 am:
1 -2 inches on the ground & still snowing. Very light turnout so far. Saw Quinn, Alexi, Kirk, O’Brien, Toni signs along with the gaggle of judges. One interesting note. When I voted 90 minues ago, there was only one “traditional” ballot cast. Everyone else had voted electronically.
- Todd - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:05 am:
kendall county I was # 20 with another 24 in the adjoining precint
light snow but nothing major
- matt - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:07 am:
A committeeman traveling all over northside of Chicago reports that most places are receiving 15-20 votes. He was surprised considering many people can vote in their own buildings.
- Obamarama - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:08 am:
It is still coming down at a pretty decent clip in Milton Township (DuPage). The troops at the polls say it is cold and dead.
On a lighter note, it is really warm and quiet in the office. :-)
- Chicago Bars - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:10 am:
12 votes cast in a 32nd ward precinct as of 8am. Definite chance the election judges may come to blows by end of day over a personality conflict. Campaigners for Fritchey, Terry O’Brien, and Dan Farley outside.
Have heard from a lot of people who usually vote in the AM but are holding off until afternoon, and the snow stops…. maybe.
- Chicago Guy - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:10 am:
Southeast Lakeview in Chicago was very slow. One person was leaving as I came in and I didn’t see another voter. Light snow, about an inch so far.
- RMW Stanford - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:12 am:
No snow and relative warm in the Bloomington-Peoria area
- Pre - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:13 am:
City outlook: Periods of snow will end by early afternoon. Cloudy with temperatures steady near the mid 30s. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90%. About one inch of additional snow through 2pm.
Springfield: Cloudy with temperatures reaching the mid 30s. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Rockford: Widely scattered snow showers, ending by 9am. Cloudy with temperatures steady near the low 30s. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 35%. No significant additional snow accumulations through 2pm.
Should Alexi be concerned?
- Rudy - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:15 am:
No snow in Sangamon. I was voter number 70 at 7am.
- Gathersno - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:15 am:
Cloudy but no precipitation in Springpatch. There were four precincts in one voting hall, yet only two of us in there voting.
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:17 am:
Dusting of snow. Took the kids to vote, they got I voted stickers for themselves and the rest of their classes. Turnout OK so far.
My coworkers are all planning to vote on the way home.
Re interest in the election, I’ve had more people than usual asking me about the candidates, so maybe that’s a good sign for turnout.
- Small Town Liberal - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:19 am:
I was number 21 at about 8:30 in Sangamon County. They didn’t notice my Quinn pin on my coat until after I voted, but they made me take it off before putting my ballot in the machine.
- A.B, - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:19 am:
In Lake County it was snowing in the early A.M with poor snow removal as of 5:30 AM. Polls were pretty quiet at about 6:30 AM…and the freakin’ ground was harder than heck to stick a sign into….
- HM - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:20 am:
Any interesting palm card reports?
- Levois - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:20 am:
Haven’t voted yet, but I really do wish this snow would GO AWAY!
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:22 am:
All 3 punch booths and 1 of 2 touch screens in use at my Orland Park polling place when I arrived, but when I went to use the other touch screen machine I was the first voter of the day to do so. Slew of election workers outside handing out materials. Otherwise uneventful.
- jerry 101 - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:22 am:
I was watching the Colbert Report last night, and he had Harold Ford on, who might attempt a primary challenge in New York. We’re having our primary today, and there are still people in other states thinking about a primary challenge. Yikes!
9 more months of the silly season. This is gonna be a long year.
Anyway, Voting on the near north side at around 7:30. Turnout was light. No line, nobody voting when I arrived. I only had to wait because one of the poll workers had brought in some donuts for her coworkers and they were getting situated (Just to be clear, this was one of the poll workers bringing in coffee and snacks, not someone bringing in gifts to the poll workers, but they were grousing about the old days when people brought them food…)
Anyway, turnout very light, my ballot was number 21. It was much higher in the 2008 primary, if memory serves.
The only oddity was that there didn’t seem to be any green party ballots (I was only offered Dem or Rep).
- Reo Symes, M.D. - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:22 am:
Snowing steadily but lightly on the Northwest Side.
- 42/41 - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:25 am:
I was voter #41 in my Streeterville/42nd ward precinct at 8:45 AM. Very light turnout. Alexi/Hynes/Link/Raja/Kelly/Preckwinckle/Dixon (7th CD)/Figueroa.
- Downstate weed chewing hick - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:25 am:
Nice weather in Champaign County but very light turnout this morning.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:26 am:
Roads are slippery in the NW Burb hills; snow’s still falling pretty steadily.
Kirk signs up; didn’t see a single Hughes sign. Lots of Beveridge and Geissler signs. LOTS of Proft signs everywhere (I mean EVERYWHERE). And just for giggles, I suppose, someone even put up two Hynes signs and one Quinn sign to cover the entire area.
Turnnout looks pretty low, but there’s a steady trickle. I’m hoping for 25%…maybe.
- 10th Indy - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:27 am:
North shore with light, pretty snow, 6:15 at the polling place, lots of signs for lots of people, filled in all the circles and was number 5 to vote. I was the only person on my 6:46 train car wearing a “Proud to Vote” sticker - joyously placed right next to the “Kirk for Senate” badge. I love election day.
- John in Chicago - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:29 am:
Pretty quiet at Blaine elementary in Lakeview when I voted about an hour ago
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:32 am:
Good turnout. Weather not a factor.
Local races are bringing in the voters too. It isn’t all about the statewide ticket, you know. (Thank goodness about that!)
- quicknote - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:33 am:
A lovely snow in Wilmette. Lots of signs for and against for New Trier H.S. ballot initiative.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:33 am:
Just looked out the window again. Snow’s falling pretty hard now.
- thomas paine - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:33 am:
david shoeder on palm card on north side of 11th ward against Ken Dunkin…..thank god
- snowyelectionday - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:34 am:
VOTED IN THE 1st WARD Chicago. I Saw Scott Lee Cohen Campaigning, and saw tons of his signs all over the northside. Also saw Hoffman with his wife.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:35 am:
I voted in Warren Township (Gurnee, IL) this morning at 6:45 a.m.. The snow was coming down hard and I was the second person to vote in my precinct. I was in and out in around 5 minutes because Willard Helander (County Clerk) has everything so well-staffed.
- Easily Entertained - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:38 am:
Electronic voting finally arrived at our precinct. Election official programs an ATM card with your ballot style. You place the card in a computer in the voting booth, and the ballot appears on the screen. Touch the screen to cast your votes. Paper ballots are still available, and the line to use them was much shorter.
- ZC - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:39 am:
Voted at around 8:15 am in the 40th ward on Chicago’s north side, 38th voter, light snow. Nobody met me at the polling place except a passer for Ann Williams.
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:40 am:
My polling place has three precincts. As of 8:30 this morning, very few people had voted.
The weather is pretty decent in Sangamon County.
- Bluefish - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:42 am:
At 8:30 I was about the 40th voter in my little northwest corner of DuPage County.
- Scooby - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:42 am:
Mail report: I’ve had steady mail from Hynes last week and I got one piece each from the county party, Figueroa, and my local state rep, but last night I got three different pieces from Scott Lee Cohen all addressed to me. I haven’t seen that before, usually they spread out the delivery.
- GA Watcher - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:49 am:
Was the 37th voter at my polling place in LaGrange in southwest Cook County at 7:15 a.m. The election judges were joking that there had only been about a half dozen Dem ballots taken even though the majority of the campaign signs outside were for Dem candidates.
Work in the Loop. The snow is quite heavy at 9:49 a.m.
- Springfield Dem - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:50 am:
Weather is okay considering it snowed again up north. Turn out is still slow. Some issues have started coming up county wide that voters have been left off of the voter lists at the polls.
- fedup dem - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:55 am:
Note to matt: Having handled a number of elections in one of those one-building highrise precincts on Chicago’s North Side, I can tell you that many people will come down and vote around the time the mail gets there (in the building where I served as precinct captain back in the 1980s, you literally had to trip over the polling place setup to go between the elevators and the mailboxes in the building).
Also, a number of people who might have voted early in the morning in the past may have taken advantage of early voting. Since widespread early voting is still a fairly recent development, we can’t be certain how much it artificially depresses morning turnout.
- BigMac - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:59 am:
Sangamon county is having a problem with voter rolls. Several precincts have reported that registered voters are not in the rolls but are on the active roster. Judges are being told to confirm registration with the county and then let the people vote by filling out a blank form in the rolls. Judging by my numbers in about 10 precincts, this could be a wide spread problem.
- FDR Dem - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 10:03 am:
Just voted in Milton Twp in DuPage County. Snow is still coming down. I was the only voter in the polling place. Judges seemed glad to have a visitor. Looks like real low turnout. Lots of Deb Olson and JR McBride signs around the polling place and town generally.
- 1st ward - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 10:06 am:
I voted at 7 a.m. in Wicker Park. Three precincts and I was the only one voting…seems to me plenty of Quinn votes staying home.
- McVoter - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 10:10 am:
Still snowing in McHenry County… over 3 inches now, Looks to be stopping in the next hour, I think all of northern Illinois would be slow because of the weather….so look for a heavy after work crowd…HIT the train stations.
- I'm cold - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 10:11 am:
Spent the morning in a couple of southwest side wards and southwest burb townships. More people handing out palm cards than voters, especially at mutiple precincts. Lot’s of poll workers and sign for judicial candidates.
If signs could vote, Andrew Andrzejewski would win the GOP guv nomination going away. More signs than anyone — in what are heavily Dem precincts.
Also a fair share of poll workers in the Macelliao-Kelly house battle.
- Niles Township - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 10:13 am:
The snow could really hurt Quinn, Hoffman and Dillard.
- Irish - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 10:15 am:
Far west suburb? One inch of snow on the ground. Turnout light. A lot of folks asking for non partisan Referenda ballots only. Only one Green Party ballot requested. Apparently most folks don’t realize that would be the way to send their message rather than just requesting the Referenda ballot only.
- McVoter - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 10:15 am:
- Niles Township - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 10:13 am: The snow could really hurt Quinn, Hoffman and Dillard… really??, I would think the opposite…
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 10:21 am:
10:00am call: precinct 17 reports 34 out of 618 voters have cast a ballot so far. Alert the runners…
- Chicago Guy - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 10:22 am:
I want to go back to the statement by “Concerned.” I could see turnout in central Illinois being low because state workers don’t want to disclose their party. I know there is Rutan and protection, but for a long time it was common practice for the parties to look at voting records to see who was with them and who was against them. If you are a state worker, why do you want to take the risk?
- Irish Eyes - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 10:22 am:
I was the 34th person to vote at 8:50 am this morning in the 32nd ward. That is basically right smack in the middle of the Roscoe Village if you don’t know where the 32nd ward is. I was snowing when I left to walk four blocks to the polls with one inch of snow on the ground. Still snowing lightly now. Alderman Schulter had all of his goons out for Dan Farley by the precinct doors.
- HM - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 10:24 am:
Niles, I see Hoffman as a beneficiary of bad weather as I would expect his voters to be younger and more highly motivated. I also think it’s bad for Quinn because the elderly might be deterred by snow and they seem to like Quinn more than the rest of us.
- Irish Eyes - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 10:24 am:
p.s. I saw three Quinn signs and no Hoffmann or Alexi signs on my way to vote. I saw two Ed Mullen signs and one Ann Williams sign. That was it. Ohh, and all of the Terry O Brien signs had fallen over and were covered in snow and mud in the streets.
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