Election officials expect higher than usual voter turnout

Nov. 8—Months of candidate campaigning will be coming to an end with today's election.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. today for the General Election.

In addition to the Illinois governor race with JB Pritzker seeking re-election against Darren Bailey, races include for U.S. Senator and other state races of secretary of state, attorney general, comptroller and treasurer. There are congressional races with Congresswoman Mary Miller running against Paul Lange; and Congresswoman Robin Kelly running against Thomas Lynch; and judicial seats on the ballot.

State Rep. Mike Marron, R-Fithian, is seeking re-election in the 104th representative district against Cindy Cunningham.

All 27 Vermilion County Board members' seats are up for election today due to the census and redistricting. Some board members changed districts.

Contested races include in County Board districts 2, 4, 6 and 7. Voters are to vote for three in each district.

District 1: Incumbent Republican Larry Baughn Jr., Republican Todd Johnson and Incumbent Republican Joel L. Bird.

District 2: Incumbent Republicans Steve Miller, Kevin Green and Daniel G. Wright; and Democrat Gordon D. Stewart.

District 3: Incumbent Republican Joe Eakle, Republican Britny A. Hoag and Incumbent Republican Shelley McLain.

District 4: Republicans Timothy A. McFadden, Incumbent Republicans Robert Mitch Weaver and Marla Mackiewicz; and Democrats Sandra L. Lawlyes and Germaine Light.

District 5: Incumbent Republican Crisi Walls, Republican William "Billy" Ryan and Republican Phillip G. Jackson.

District 6: Incumbent Republicans Mark A. Steinbaugh and Tom Morse; and Republican Gregory Shepard; and Democrat Shanae C. Dowell.

District 7: Incumbent Republican Craig Golden, Republican Christine (Chris) LaMar, Republican Robert McIntire; and Democrats Terry W. Lake Gregory M. Thatcher and Errol W. Britt Jr.

District 8: Incumbent Republican Jerry Hawker; and Incumbent Democrats Robert Boyd and Phearn M. Butler.

District 9: Incumbent Democrats Nancy O'Kane, Becky Stark and Bruce Stark.

Other top Vermilion County office holders have no opponents including County Clerk Cathy Jenkins and Sheriff Pat Hartshorn.

Indianola also has a referendum on the ballot concerning the sale of alcohol in the village.

Vermilion County early voting numbers as of Monday morning: vote by mail: 1,457 and early voting: 1,089.

"We have been steady with voters the past couple of days. We expect a higher-than-normal turnout for Tuesday," according to Carrie Wilson, supervisor of elections in the Vermilion County Clerk's office, talking about the governor's and other races drawing people to vote.

Wilson said with the new permanent vote-by-mail option the state had implemented, they have seen quite a few more requests for the vote-by-mail ballots than normal.

In 2018, the General Election turnout was around 52 percent in the county. Of course, the 2020 General Election was higher being a presidential election.

In 2020 with the presidential race, voter turnout in Vermilion County was 73.14 percent and in Danville was 60.47 percent.

The Vermilion County Clerk's Office also is a polling place. Anyone in the county needing to update their voter registration can go to the office to update it and they would vote there at the same time.

County election officials will upload unofficial election results as they receive them in their office on Election Night. They have precincts as close as 10 minutes away and others an hour or so away.

The website link for the results page: https://il-vermilion.pollresults.net/.

According to Danville Election Commission Executive Director Sandy Delhaye, it's hard to tell about voter turnout in Danville

"However, I feel as though more people will get out and vote if the weather remains the same as the past few days," she said.

Delhaye said voting for this general election is about on track according to the numbers from the last non-presidential election.

The new touch screen voting machines that they implemented in the June 28 election has really taken off this election, she added.

"We keep giving them the option of the traditional ballot or the electronic one, but we are now seeing voters come in and ask for the electronic marking ballot. Their feedback has been very positive," she said.

Danville voters too can come into the Danville Election Commission office inside the Vermilion County Administration Building, 201 N. Vermilion St., Danville, on Election Day to vote, regardless of what precinct they are in. The office will be open on Election Day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On Election Night, the Danville Election Commission will update its website as the polling places return with their thumb drive and tapes, Delhaye said.

The website link: https://www.vercounty.org/election-commission/election-results-information/.