Local early-voting numbers top previous years

Local voter turnout may be on the upswing if early-voting totals are any indication.

According to the Cook County Clerk’s Office, 2,636 ballots were cast between March 17-31 at Centennial Ice Rinks in Wilmette, the only early voting site in The Record‘s coverage area. The total is the largest since Centennial became a polling location for early voting in 2017.

This year’s total is also 26% larger than last cycle’s (2,091 in 2023) and 14% higher than the average (2,303) of the last four municipal-election cycles.

Early-voting totals from previous cycles range between 2,200 and 2,500 (2,401 in 2021, 2,446 in 2019, 2,275 in 2017).

Centennial, though, was open to more than just Wilmette early voters, and contested elections in Evanston, Glenview and Winnetka may have impacted the high early-voting results.

Early-voting totals at Centennial, at least in the past four cycles, have not always predicted Wilmette voter turnout. For instance, the previous high (2019’s 2,446) only led to 3,788 total Wilmette ballots, which is the lowest Wilmette turnout during that period.

Wilmette voters will decide contested races for three seats on the Wilmette Village Board and three others on the Wilmette Park Board. Some will also vote in a competitive election for the Avoca District 37 Board of Education. Winnetkans have decisions to make for the District 36 Board of Education and Park Board.

As election results begin to come in Tuesday night, April 1, early votes and mail-in ballots received through Election Day will be included in the totals. Mail-in and provisional ballots not received by April 1 will be added as they are counted in the days following the election.

In Lake County, 1,484 early-voting ballots were counted out of Moraine Township precincts, which primarily represents Highland Park and Highwood voters.

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