Record breaking voter turnout likely in Champaign County

Students+lineup+at+the+polls+in+the+Union+basement+for+voting+in+the+2016+election.

Claire Hettinger

Students lineup at the polls in the Union basement for voting in the 2016 election.

By Gillian Dunlop, Staff Writer

Before the polls opened this morning at 6 a.m., almost 40,000 people had already cast their votes.

For the past several weeks, Hulten and the Champaign County Clerk Office have made efforts to increase the number of early voters.

“The record for the turnout, for us, during a presidential election has been 84,000 votes,” Hulten said. “We’ve had almost half (that) prior to election day. I think we will break our record.”

So far, voting locations in Champaign County have not had long wait times, Champaign County Clerk Gordy Hulten said.

“I’m not aware of any lines consistently today,” he said. “There were some lines in the morning when the polls opened and there were some lines at the Illini Union during lunch rush.”

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Although citizens are encouraged to register to vote early, same day voter registration is available as long as identification and proof of residence is presented to the judge at a voting location. Same day voter registration, however, can increase wait times.

“Same day voter registration slows down the voting process, because the judges have to verify addresses and licenses,” Hulten said.

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