Checked in at 4PM and voted Republican all the way down the ticket. Jim Ryan for Governor, Ray LaHood for US House, Jim Durkin for US Senate, Larry Bomke for IL Senate, Rich Brauer for IL House.
Two polling places share one location. The one I voted at had 515 registered voters. 170 people had already voted by 4PM and an additional 70 absentee ballots were cast previously. That's 240 voters out of 515. A 47 % turn out. The judges expected a steady increase in voter traffic as people were beginning to get off work and streaming in to vote. Looks like it will easily surpass 60%. That would be considered a good / heavy turn out for a non presidential election.
The question is... what does it mean ? Several contested races at the local and state level. The President was in our capital Sunday which is just 30 miles away.
The other precinct located at this site had 450 registered voters and had 170 voters cast ballots by 4PM. They had 10 absentee ballots as well. That's 180 voters out of 450 by 4PM. A 40% turnout so far, but like the other precinct located here, the heaviest turn out was yet to materialize (it will however.)