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Massive voter turnout but few problems, authorities say

Election Day voting went fairly smoothly despite turnout nearing or surpassing record numbers, according to suburban election authorities.

“We certainly did prepare for any scenarios we could envision,” said Adam Johnson, a deputy DuPage County clerk.

As of 6:15 p.m. in DuPage, a record 468,316 people had voted, either on Tuesday or through early voting or vote by mail, making for a 71 percent turnout. More than 114,000 people went to polls on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Cook County Clerk Edmund Michalowski said, “We're getting through the day. There is some issues with scanners and touch screens, but these are not major issues.” The clerk oversees elections in the suburban portions of the county.

Michalowski said that as of 1:30 p.m., about 124,000 people had voted Tuesday.

“It's basically peaceful for a presidential election,” Lake County Clerk Robin O'Connor said of voting in her county. All the polling places in Lake opened on time, she said.

“Voting is going great,” Joe Tirio, McHenry County's clerk and recorder of deeds, said Tuesday morning.

“We really had no idea of what to expect” in terms of turnout, he said, given the large number of early votes cast. He said in-person voting was “brisk” during the first few hours.

One polling place opened late because the building's keyholder showed up late, he said.

Tirio said he's not heard of any reports of electioneering or voter intimidation at county polling places.

“It really touches my heart that people have left that kind of thing at the curb,” he said.

In Kane County, Clerk Jack Cunningham said as of 9:18 a.m., 14,603 people had cast ballots Tuesday.

Kane County Democrats were in good spirits in the afternoon, as about 50 of them stood on both sides of the State Street bridge in downtown Geneva, waving campaign signs for presidential, county board, state's attorney and congressional candidates. Blackberry Township committeeman Heidi DeMarco waved a sign that said “Decency is on the ballot,” and said she was heartened by the number of passing cars and trucks that honked in support.

There also were a handful of supporters of President Donald Trump.

  Connor LaVallie of Geneva votes Tuesday at Western Avenue School in Geneva. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com
  Voters make their choices at the Lions Park Recreation Center in Mount Prospect on Election Day. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
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