Champaign County in dire need of election judges

Mar. 16—URBANA — Champaign County is in dire need of election judges for the upcoming election April 4, County Clerk and Recorder Aaron Ammons said Thursday.

Of the approximately 210 election judges needed to staff polling places on election day, Ammons said, 100 are still needed.

Both parties must be represented among judges, and more Republican judges are needed than Democrats, he said. Of the 100 still needed, about 60 need to be Republicans, he said.

Ammons said there are enough election judges for early voting.

However, "if we do not get the requisite number of judges, I will be forced to close numerous polling locations," he said.

The majority of voters in Champaign County are expected to vote by mail.

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Ammons said he anticipates something of an increase in voters over the 17,266 who voted in the consolidated elections four years ago.

But 14,656 voters have already requested a vote by mail ballot for the upcoming election, and about 3,000 of those ballots have already been returned, he said.

Anyone interested in serving as an election judge will need to undergo training, which can be done in person or online, Ammons said.

Those who take training in person will still need to take a quiz online, he said.

The deadline to sign up to serve as an election judge is coming up March 28.

To sign up, either call the clerk's office, or, preferably, sign up on the clerk's website at champaigncountyclerk.com, Ammons said.