Southwest IL counties report record-setting early voting, outpacing some 2016 totals
A record number of metro-east voters already have cast ballots by mail or in-person ahead of the Nov. 3 election, mirroring a statewide trend.
More than 660,000 voters in Illinois cast their ballots, according to the Illinois State Board of Election, including more than 482,000 mail ballots. More than 2 million mail ballots were requested in Illinois.
According to the board’s data, every metro-east county or board of elections is outpacing the early voter totals at this point in the election in 2016.
In both St. Clair and Madison County, officials say early voting has been increasingly popular as the election draws closer. On the first day of early voting, socially distanced lines wrapped around county buildings.
St. Clair County Clerk Tom Holbrook said voting early is a safe, smart way to avoid lines on election day. He estimated roughly 12% of all registered voters in St. Clair County have already voted.
“It’s heavy everywhere,” Holbrook said. “I would tell everyone to go out early and vote early.”
Holbrook said the county had received about 13,200 mail-in ballots as of Tuesday, and roughly 6,000 individuals had voted in person. During the 2016 election, 9,180 voters cast early ballots, meaning the county has seen a 117% increase in early voter turnout as of this week.
In East St. Louis, at the city’s Board of Elections, Executive Director Kandrise Mosby said early voting has been higher this year than it was during the 2016 election as well. She said so far the election board has received 3,257 applications for mail-in ballots, 1,904 of which have been returned. On top of that, 371 early ballots have been cast in person.
Mosby said her office has had to answer a flow of questions from voters who have seen news reports about issues with mail-in voting in other states and worry similar problems could arise locally.
Much of what she’s heard is the result of “misinformation,” she said.
“We get a lot of calls with different inquiries,” she said. “We try to answer as many questions as we can.”
Madison County officials say they are seeing a similar trend.
Vanessa Jones, the county’s Chief Deputy Clerk, said the county has received 34,513 requests for mail-in ballots, 13,771 of which have been returned completed. She added that 4,985 citizens had voted early in person as of Tuesday.
“We’ve never had this many early voters come in,” Jones said.
There will be even more, she said, as additional temporary and permanent polling places for early voting open on Monday.
Here’s how early voting is going in other counties in the metro-east as of Tuesday:
- Clinton County has collected 610 mail-in ballots and 502 in-person early voters
- Bond County has collected 720 mail-in ballots and 661 in-person early voters
- Monroe County has collected 1,289 mail-in ballots and 1,396 early voters
- Randolph County has collected 1,436 mail-in ballots and 442 early voters
- Washington County has collected 707 main-in ballots and 260 early voters
Bond, Randolph, Washington and the East St. Louis Board of Elections have already surpassed the total number of early votes cast in 2016, according to the data. Several other counties are closing in on their 2016 totals with three weeks of early voting left.
Who is early voting?
Tammy Hickey, a voter in St. Clair County, said her entire family voted via absentee ballot due to safety concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We normally vote in person but with the threat of COVID-19, the possible lack of social distancing due to long lines at the polls, the threat of idiots not wearing masks, and possible voter intimidation, we chose to vote by absentee ballot,” she said in an email to the Belleville News-Democrat. “It was a very easy process and we appreciate St. Clair County allowing us to vote absentee due to COVID-19. “
Hickey said she requested ballots online a few months ago and received her ballot last week. She said she wanted to make sure there was plenty of time for the ballot to arrive before the election.
Another voter, Belleville resident Barbara Baldridge, said she and her husband voted early every year, but feels this year’s election carries special importance. She said voting early ensures the count was finalized on Election Day or shortly after.
“This is a very consequential election, and we wanted to make sure our votes were counted,” she said.
She said she had originally planned to vote by mail after requesting her ballot, but due to the politics involving the postal service, she ended up dropping her ballot off at the St. Clair County Courthouse.
“It was super easy, I was really pleased with it,” she said.
In the past months, the Postal Service has enacted changes that slowed mail service throughout the country. The changes removed collection boxes and mail sorting machines closed some processing facilities and banned or restricted over time. Due to a lawsuit that followed national uproar, the Postal Service has been ordered to reverse the changes.
COVID-19 also played a small part in her election plans, but Baldridge said she still plans to work at her local polling station on Nov. 3.
In East St. Louis, Mosby said many young voters are energized by this year’s campaigning. She said the Board of Elections has seen a noticeable increase in young voters registering for the first time and requesting early ballots.
“People are more excited and more inclined to vote this time around,” she said. “That’s been really great to see. It’s encouraging to see young people getting involved in the electoral process.”
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