Marion County Clerk Steve Fox is projecting the biggest voter turnout in at least decades as area residents go to the polls Tuesday. Polls opened at six am and will be open until seven tonight.
Fox says the Presidential election and proposed change in the Illinois income tax structure seem to be driving the interest.
“I really anticipate a good turnout. It was right at 70% in 2016 for the presidential election and I’m going to say we are going to be right at 78% this year. Hopefully, we do better than that, maybe we hit 80%. I think this is a tremendous voting turnout, young people registering and people getting their right to vote taken care of.”
Fox says 25-percent of county residents have already cast their ballots. Early voting finished Monday afternoon with 4,261 votes cast including 400 on the final day that kept the courthouse open an extra hour for all those in line. In addition, 1,781 voted by mail. However, about 700 of those brought their ballots back to the courthouse to assure they got there instead of using the mail.
In addition to the Presidential election, area residents are voting for U.S. Senator, 15th District Congressman, 107th District State Representative, and in contested Marion County races for Circuit Clerk between Democrat Cathy Malone and Republican Tiffany Schicker and Coroner between Democrat Nicholas Heath and Republican Incumbent Troy Cannon. There are also contested Marion County Board races in District three where Democrat Carrie Perkins-Schnicker is running against Republican Incumbents Steven Whritenhour and Judy Shafer with two to be elected and in District Four where Democrats Gary Joe Sanders and Bobby Kell, Junior and Republicans Christopher Krupp and Judith Meeks-Hakim are running for the two open seats.
There are also contested races for Supreme Court Judge to represent the 5th Judicial District and for an Appellate Court Judge on the Appellate Court at Mt. Vernon.
Marion County residents are also voting on an advisory proposition asking if the 101 counties outside Cook County should seek admission as the 51st state in the union.
Centralia residents will weigh in on a half-cent sales tax increase for public safety purposes.
WJBD will have election night returns locally beginning at eight tonight with earlier reports on the national election from ABC.
