Southwest Illinois sees big early voting crowds, ‘surge’ in mail-in ballots
County courthouses in the metro-east saw big turnouts on the first day of early voting in Illinois as well as a “huge” increase in mail-in ballots compared to the 2016 election, area county clerks said.
Early voting opened in Illinois Thursday, officially kicking off an election season officials say will have double the amount of mail-in-voting and a hefty increase in early in-person voting.
Lines wrapped around the Madison County Administration building, where County Clerk Debra Ming Mendoza said about 390 voters stood without issue in socially-distanced lines on Thursday.
“It went very smoothly considering the first-day jitters,” Ming Mendoza said. “Social distancing tends to make the lines look longer though.”
Ming Mendoza said the surge of voters was expected and is expected to continue as the election draws near. She said it was something her department and many others in the state prepared for heavily in advance of Thursday.
In St. Clair County, more than 500 votes were counted at the county building Thursday. County Clerk Tom Holbrook said he also expects an increasing amount of early voting as Nov. 3 draws closer.
“There was a rush here at the courthouse to vote early,” Holbrook said. “We were able to get them through in a fairly quick matter.”
Holbrook said voting early gives voters the best opportunity to avoid long lines on election day and give themselves time to think over their votes.
“You don’t want to be in one of those lines come election day when you’re trying to get to work,” Holbrook said. “
Carmen Glenn, an early voter from Belleville, said early voting was convenient and issue-free at the St. Clair County building. She said she felt safe from coronavirus infection due to safety precautions set up by the county, such as mandatory social distancing and face coverings, as well as frequent cleaning and disinfecting protocols.
“I thought there would be more people but they have it spread out,” Glenn said. “I thought it was a good process.”
She said she often votes early during elections because she finds it convenient and it makes election day less of a headache.
“I don’t have to deal with it when I get off work (on election day),” Glenn said. “I can just go home because I know I’ve done it already.”
Surge in mail-in ballots
Both county clerks also reported “huge” increases in advanced mail-in voting. Holbrook said St. Clair County already has received 32,000 vote-by-mail ballots. That’s compared to a total of 9,000 in September of 2016.
“Our county is experiencing, like the rest of the state, a huge surge in vote-by-mail (ballots),” Holbrook said. “We’re not even six weeks before the election. It’s very heavy and its an easy way to vote.”
Holbrook said mail-in ballots offer a safe way and secure way to vote during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Madison County, Ming Mendoza said the county is experiencing a similar surge in mail-in voting. As of Friday morning, Madison County had received 29,000 mail-in ballots, compared to 10,000 in September 2016.
Ming Mendoza urged voters to take advantage of voting by mail or voting early.
According to the Chicago Sun Times, 1.45 million Illinois voters have requested mail-in ballots so far. Of those, 350,000 were requested over the past two weeks. Illinoians have been able to request a mail-in ballot since June and can request one up until Oct. 29.
Where to vote early
Voting will remain open at Illinois county administration buildings through Nov. 2. Additional permanent and temporary voting sites will be open throughout the region in October. Below is a complete list:
St. Clair County
Permanent early voting site
St. Clair County Clerk’s Office Election Department, 2nd Floor, 10 Public Square, Belleville
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sept. 24-Nov. 2, Monday through Friday
Additional permanent early voting sites
- St. Clair County Clerk’s Office, Election Department, 2nd Floor, 10 Public Square, Belleville
- The Rec Complex, 9950 Bunkum Rd., Fairview Heights
- O’Fallon Township Office, 801 East State St., O’Fallon
Weekdays
Oct. 19-23: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Oct. 26-30: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Nov. 2: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Weekends
Saturday, Oct. 24: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, October 25: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 31: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, November 1: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Temporary voting sites
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17
- Whiteside Middle School, 111 Warrior Way, Belleville
- Cahokia High School (Gym), 800 Range Ln., Cahokia
Madison County
Permanent early voting sites
Madison County Administration Building 157 N. Main St., Edwardsville, IL 62025
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 24-Oct. 16, Monday through Friday
- 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 19-Nov. 2, Monday through Friday
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 24 and 31, Saturdays
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, Sundays
Scott Bibb Center - Room #SB 104, E. 5th St., Alton, IL 62002 and Granite City Township Building, 2060 Delmar Ave., Granite City, IL 62040
- 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Oct. 19-Nov. 2, Monday through Friday
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24 and 31, Saturdays
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, Sundays
Temporary early voting sites
Bethalto Village Hall (Community Room), 213 N. Prairie St., Bethalto, IL 62010
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 19-30, Monday through Friday
Collinsville Senior Citizen Center, 420 E, Main St., Collinsville, IL 62234
- Noon to 6 p.m., Oct. 19-30, Monday through Friday
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 24 and 31, Saturdays
Godfrey Village Hall, 6810 Godfrey Rd., Godfrey, IL 62035
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 19-30, Monday through Friday
Weinheimer Community Center, 1100 Main St., Highland, IL 62249
- Noon to 6 p.m., Oct. 19-30 Monday through Friday
- 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Oct. 24 and 31, Saturdays
Madison Fire Station, 1800 3rd St., Madison, IL 62060
- Noon to 6 p.m., Oct. 19-30, Monday through Friday
- 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Oct. 24 and 31, Saturdays
SIUE Morris University Center (Willow Room 60), Hairpin Dr., Edwardsville, IL 62025
- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 28-30, Wednesday through Friday
Troy City Hall, 116 E Market St., Troy, IL 62294
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Oct. 19-30, Monday through Friday
Wood River Township Office (Town Hall), 33 S. 9th St., East Alton, IL 62024
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Oct. 19-30, Monday through Friday
Bond County
Temporary early voting site
Bond County Clerk’s Office, 203 W. College, Greenville, IL 62246
8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 24-Nov. 2, Monday through Friday (except Oct. 12, court holiday)
Calhoun County
Temporary early voting site
County Clerk’s Office, 301 S. County Road, Hardin, IL 62047 (except Oct. 12, court holiday)
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sept. 24-Nov. 2, Monday Through Friday
- 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24
- 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31
Clinton County
Temporary early voting site
County Clerk’s Office, 850 Fairfax St., Carlyle, IL 62231
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 24-Nov. 2, Monday through Friday (except Oct. 12, court holiday)
- 9 a.m. to noon on Oct. 17 and 31, Saturdays
City of East St. Louis
301 River Park Drive, Suite 300, East St. Louis, IL 62201
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sept. 24-Nov. 2, Monday through Friday
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31, Saturdays
- 1 to 4 p.m., Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, Sundays
Jersey County
Temporary early voting site
County Clerk’s Office, 200 N. Lafayette St., Jerseyville, IL 62052
- 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sept. 24-Nov. 2, Monday through Friday (except Oct. 12, court holiday)
- 9 a.m. to noon on Oct. 10, 17 and 24, Saturdays
Macoupin County
Temporary early voting site
County Board Conference Room, 215 S. East St., Second Floor Conference Room, Carlinville, IL 62626
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 24-Nov. 2, Monday through Friday (except Oct. 12, court holiday)
- 4:30-7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 19-Wednesday, Oct. 21
- 9 a.m. to noon, Oct. 24 and 31, Saturdays
- 4:30-7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 26-Wednesday, Oct. 28
Monroe County
County Clerk Office, 100 S. Main St., Waterloo, IL 62298
- 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 24-Nov. 2, Monday through Friday (except Oct. 12, court holiday)
- 9 a.m. to noon, Oct. 24 and 31, Saturdays
Perry County
Temporary early voting sites
Perry County Clerk Office, 3764 State Route 13/127, Pinckneyville, IL 62274
- 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sept. 24-Nov. 2, Monday through Friday (except Oct. 12, court holiday)
- 8 a.m. to noon, Oct. 3, 17 and 31, Saturdays
- 4-7 p.m., Oct. 6, 13 and 20, Tuesdays
- 4-7 p.m., Oct. 8, 15, 22 and 29, Thursdays
Du Quoin City Hall, 28 S Washington St., Du Quoin, IL 62832
- 4-7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 27
Randolph County
Randolph County Courthouse, 1 Taylor St., Chester, IL 62233
8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 24-Nov. 2, Monday through Friday (except Oct. 12, court holiday)
8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Oct. 31
Washington County
County Clerk’s Office, 101 E. St. Louis St., Nashville, IL 62263
- 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sept. 24-Nov. 2, Monday through Friday
- 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Oct. 23 and 30, Fridays
- 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Oct. 31
This story was originally published September 25, 2020 at 12:34 PM.