If early voting on Monday and over the weekend at the Ela Area Public Library in Lake Zurich is any indication of turnout for the 2024 presidential election in Lake County, voters may exceed the initial 70% turnout projection.
Shortly after the early voting center in Lake Zurich opened, the wait was nearing an hour, according to library personnel who oversaw the queue before voters entered the polling place.
“I came yesterday and the line was too long, so I came back today,” Nadia Shah, a Long Grove Park District commissioner, said Monday after voting.
Voters will vote for the president of the United States, their members of Congress, three countywide officers, their representatives in the Illinois House of Representatives, as well as other races and several referendums on Election Day Tuesday in Lake County.
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. County Clerk Anthony Vega said people who are uncertain of their polling place can find it by using the clerk’s website.
As of Sunday night, Vega said 124,112 people had voted since early voting began on Sept. 26, and another 57,726 voted by mail, representing 39.5% of the county’s 460,000 registered voters.
“We projected a turnout of 70%,” Vega said. “We’ve been impressed by early-voter turnout. Based on early voting turnout and voting by mail we anticipate we will meet that projection. We added sites for extended hours. Some sites performed exceedingly well.”
Along with voting for either Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump or a third-party candidate for president, voters will choose one of the four congressional districts that include parts of Lake County.
U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Highland Park, is defending his 10th District seat against Republican Jim Carris of Lake Forest, and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Chicago, of the 5th District is in a rematch against Republican Tommy Hanson, also of Chicago.
U.S. Rep Jan, Schakowsky, D-Evanston, is matched against Republican Seth Allen Cohen of Chicago, and in the 11th District, U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, is defending his job against Republican Jerry Evans of Warrenville.
In the three countywide contests, Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart is matched against Republican Mary Cole of Lake Bluff. Voters will also decide whether to reelect or choose a someone new to be coroner and clerk of the Circuit Court.
In the lone Lake County-related contest for the state Senate, incumbent Mary Edly-Allen is defending her job against GOP challenger and Benton Township Trustee Ashley Jensen. Nine members of the state House of Representatives representing parts of the county will also be elected.
Voters will also vote yes or no on some of the nine referendums on the ballot, including a $155 million question for the Lake County Forest Preserves District and $149.5 million for Mundelein High School.
Both Republican and Democratic officials as well as volunteers, continue to work both locally and in Wisconsin to get voters to the polls.
County Democratic Chair Lauren Beth Gash said her party’s infrastructure is solid and the momentum strong.
“We have volunteers all over Lake County passing out voter guides and candidate literature at polling places, as well as knocking on doors and making phone calls,” she said. “We’re looking forward to reelecting our officeholders and flipping more seats from Republican to Democrat.”
Keith Brin, the county GOP chair, said the amount of money spent and repeated messages on both sides shows the election season is too long, but he believes it is time for a change from the federal level to seats on the county board.
“From everything from the White House to the state legislature, to our countywide officeholders, to seats on the County Board in Waukegan, we need a change,” he said. “Taxes are too high, and the public is demanding a change.”
Voters may need an umbrella or rainwear when they vote on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures are forecast in the 60s in the Waukegan area, with intermittent rain throughout the day.
Vega said he does not anticipate problems, but is prepared if lines grow too long or if some supporters of candidates get too enthusiastic and come closer to the polling place than allowed by law.
“We will have one to two extra election judges at each site,” he said. “People usually comply when they are told they are too close.”
