Watch CBS News

Illinois Primary 2014: Record Number Of Voters Registered In Cook, But Will They Vote?

By John Dodge

CHICAGO (CBS) -- While voter turnout is expected to be low, a record number of Cook County residents are registered to vote in Tuesday's primary.

In the 2010 gubernatorial primary, only one-fourth of voters cast their ballots.

This year, more than 1.45 million suburban Cook County residents are registered, according to Cook County Clerk David Orr.

"Turnout may be low for a primary in a non-presidential election, but voters should remember that the names on their ballots in November are a result of the contests in March," Clerk David Orr said. "This only underscores the importance of voting in the primary."

Here are some interesting statistics about tomorrow's election:

• 1,451,593 registered voters in suburban Cook County (1,439,415 in 2010)

• 361 candidates in 244 contests, 63 of which are contested

• 9,000 election judges, working in 1,078 polling places

• 34,035 ballots cast during early voting, comparable to the 34,829 early votes in 2010

• The busiest early voting locations were: Arlington Heights Village Hall (1,477); Schaumburg Public Library (1,439); Melrose Park Village Hall ( 1,385); Centennial Ice Rink in Wilmette (1,373)

• A total of 46.5 percent of early voters cast Republican ballots (compared with 31 percent of early voters in 2010)

• A majority of early voters cast Republican ballots in 15 of the 30 suburban Cook County townships

• Barrington (88.5 percent), Palatine (77 percent) and Wheeling (74 percent) townships had the greatest percentages of Republican ballots cast during early voting.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.