CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in Almost over

Re: Almost over

43rd Warder — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 20:28:54 -0000

Was down in the south Cook suburbs and went to 10 polling places in Stroger country. Turnout at 4pm was between 8 and 10 percent at 9 of them and about 15% at the one at 147th & Markham (which had 3 precincts with about 2000 total voters). But as everyone has been saying, its patheticaly low everywhere in Cook (what is the saying about people getting the government they deserve....)

Its gonna be close with Stroger/Claypool. My heart says Claypool 52/48 announced by 10:30pm tonight, my head is more uncertain.

Re: Almost over

Establishment Republican — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 19:35:45 -0000

Why is Blago having his party at a hotel and not the steel plant his father worked at?

Re: Almost over

DirtyBob — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 19:24:16 -0000

Just voted----Blago, Mangieri, Redpath

Re: Almost over

NIEVA — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 18:38:04 -0000

Gallatin Co. has has a good turnout in most areas. We have been cold and windy but no snow. Two of my co workers said when they voted this morning the machines screwed up. The judges put their ballots in the "slot". We just hope that's not another word for republican sredder>

Re: Almost over

HeKnowsBarack — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 18:26:42 -0000

Is Alexander handing free cocktails somewhere tonight?

Re: Almost over

Beowulf — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 18:21:15 -0000

My precinct with 748 registered voters in central Will County had a 13% turnout at 3 PM. A normal turnout in a general election is 20%-25% at the close of the day. My precinct does NOT have any referendums on the ballot.

I am hearing that in those townships and precincts where a school referendum is on the ballot, they are getting much heavier turnouts. It is funny how when someone is making a "direct attack" on your wallet with a school referendum, it will generate great interest and concern. However, the "stealth attack" on your wallet with the election of candidates that are more than happy to spend your taxpayer money somehow doesn't seem to generate the same amount of indignation. Seems those taxpayers prefer to pretend that this more subtle form of robbery that is taking place is merely a "hallucination".

Re: Almost over

NumbersGuy — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 18:05:01 -0000

Turnout in SW Spfld also looking better. I vote at the K of C (which covers five-six precincts) and judges say the pace has picked up steadily since noon. Touch-screen worked great, roads are fine. Tornado-related dislocations may still affect SPI more than WX.
Sangamon County Clerk reports 1800 early or absentee votes. No turnout guesstimates yet; imho, we will be below average.

Re: Almost over

Southern Illinois Democrat — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 17:57:03 -0000

My parents voted in Fayette County in a small reural precinct (About 350 registered voters) at 4:00. They were #'s 38 and 39. We had about 5 inches of snow. I think tuenout will be light in this area and it will benefit EE on the Dem side and Brady and Obie on the Repub side.

Re: Almost over

McLean Co ite — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 17:28:13 -0000

At noon turnout in Empire Township (Village of LeRoy) was 12-percent of registered voters, and Gridley Township (northern McLean Co) was 15-percent, making a 30-percent overall turnout for the day achievable in McLean Co. That's comparable to the last two primaries. So wx doesn't seem to be playing a big part.

Re: Almost over

ChicagoDems — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 17:22:00 -0000

Remus has a freakin army out there

Re: Almost over

Making The Wheels Turn — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 17:19:11 -0000

Kane County. Campton Township (1 precinct at the school). Solid Republican area. Using (1st time) new Hart InterCivic eVote machines (3 in our precinct).

Hart just got this system approved by the IL SBE about a month or so ago, and this thing was EXPENSIVE to boot.

It was SLOW compared to punch cards (everybody was taking 3-4 minutes at minimum). Voted around 2 PM this afternoon, we were running a steady 7 to 10 voters all the time (3 voting; 4 to 7 waiting in line). Glad I voted this afternoon, if I had waited around to 4:30 or later, it's going to be a 20 to 30 minute wait.

Jack C. (our useless County Clerk) better have more stations at the polling places for the General, because otherwise there's a real likelyhood of court orders keeping the polls open later. I'm sure he'll be all in favor of doing that - he likes to spend our taxpayer money like a drunken sailor.

Not impressed for the money Kane County spent on this gold plated system, I can see where this system will give the phrase "hurry up & wait" a whole new meaning.

Re: Almost over

NW Side — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 17:16:20 -0000

I voted a few minutes ago and there was a low turnout and no line, there was a Stroger person, Giannoulias palmer, Avila palmer, and one judge. I voted that way.

Re: Almost over

Bill Shakespeare — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 16:54:47 -0000

Banquo's ghost endorsed Forest Birnam.

Re: Almost over

Bob Vick — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 16:44:14 -0000

La Salle County: Light turnout.

Re: Almost over

Anon — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 16:31:23 -0000

As of 3 pm, only 10% of registered voters in our SE Evanston precinct had shown up at the polls. The robocalls for Claypool have gone beyond annoying: Adlai Stevenson & Dawn Clark Netsch?? What's next, Banquo's ghost???

Re: Almost over

Bluto — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 16:16:09 -0000

The turnout won't necessarily help Churchill, big push for McSweeney among the GOP Organization and village officers going for Salvi.

Re: Almost over

Hizzoner — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 16:15:13 -0000

I agree with Babs, I hope EE gets enough votes to wake-up old Blago. Prediction:
Stoger over Claypool
Mangeri over Alexi

Re: Almost over

Oh, please... — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 16:13:06 -0000

They are pushing Claypool BIG in my northside ward. I probably recieved around 10 robocalls on behalf of Claypool, from the likes of Jan Schakowsky, Dawn Clark Netch, etc. But I can't take the hypocritical "reformer" crap Claypool has been spouting off - I went old school and voted for Stroger.

Re: Almost over

kdruben — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:49:34 -0000

If turnout is strong in areas that are good for Geo, then that bodes well for Churchill as well...

Re: Almost over

babs — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:47:38 -0000

Voted 1:30 - Chicago northwest side. # 70. All machines were working. An aside, if you have the large paper ballot and want to vote anon, simply ask for the privacy sheet. It covers the ballot until it's in the slot. EE, Dart, Mangieri, Claypool. Heading out to work precinct for rest of afternoon. (I took the over on an EE bet. Hope he gets enough votes to put a good scare into Rod...) Good luck to all.

Re: Almost over

Bluto — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:47:10 -0000

Just voted at 12:30 in Antioch (Lake County)my precinct is one of three in thie polling place. As of that time they had 315 total voters or about 105 per pct. Total reg is about 900 per pct so that is about 12% tunrout half way through. I did talk to judges and they said they had approx 30 - 50 early ballots per pct to add in at end of day, so including those we are looking at a turnout of around 17-18% per precicnt.

On the ballot was a major school referendum as well as races for 8th congressional, and state senate - Geo!.

Not sure what it all means, I guess we will find out later tonight.

Re: Almost over

Cook Voter — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:31:38 -0000

I voted at 8:30 this morning and was 34th person voting...quite sad for that time of day. The touch screen machine was not working, they had a repair man in there trying to fix it. I guess everyone was right...turnout is going to be simply pathetic.

Re: Almost over

Anon — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 14:40:24 -0000

Voted at 8:30 a.m. in Bolingbrook, DuPage Township Precinct 20 to be exact.

I was number 39. Number seemed a little up compared to the last election, but it could be people just got out earlier this time around.

At the last minute, I changed my vote from Topinka to Brady. I have a feeling that lots of people will be doing the same, changing from some candidate to a different candidate.

Re: Almost over

Pat Hickey — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 14:23:44 -0000

Voted at the 23rd. Precinct of the 19thWard at 6AM. Light turnout.
EE
Stroger
Dart
Giannoulias
John T. Kelly
assorted judicial candidates - Thoams Byrne, Dooling & etc.

Re: Almost over

RichlandGOPlady — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 14:17:23 -0000

Snow fall was only about an inch in Richland and Clay counties. The weather should not have so much effect here...could this be good for the Brady and Oberweis campaigns? They have several supporters in this area.