Illinois early voting ends Thursday

Election officials in Illinois want state voters to know that early voting for the February 5th primary ends on Thursday.

Cook County clerk David Orr says the primary, which includes the Democratic race between Illinois Senator Barack Obama and New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, is historic. He says it's also the earliest state presidential primary in Illinois history.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Board of Elections says that just more than 1.3 million people are registered for the upcoming primary. That total is similar to those in the 2204, 1996 and 1992 presidential years, but less than the total in 2000.