“I myself was a little disappointed,” Baker said. “People have the choice to vote but it’s up to them.”
In Champaign County, 32% of registered voters cast a ballots.
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Tuesday’s election was the first full election with the new voting machine equipment, Baker said, and overall they passed the test. He said there were a few hiccups early on but the office was able to resolve the issues.
“I went into this election and told everyone that this was a great practice for the March 2020 elections and March will be refinement for November 2020,” Baker said. “The poll workers, full-time staff, the deputy director, everyone pitched in and did a great a job to make Tuesday a successful day.”
All election results were reported and on the board of election’s website by 10:30 p.m., Baker said. The goal is to get all the results in by 10 p.m., he said.
The goal is also to put up early voting returns by 7:45 p.m., Baker said. Polls close at 7:30 p.m.
Baker said his office had the returns up at 8 p.m. due to a glitch in the system. He said his office learned a lot about the new machines and are prepared moving forward.
Champaign County county has 28 precincts and has 9 polling locations. No problems were reported during election day, according to Jodi Flora, deputy director for Champaign County board of elections.
“No problems at all. Overall it was a great election,” she said.
Final, unofficial results are in. They still have to count provisional ballots. They estimate that the results will be certified on Nov. 19
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Despite the polling locations being busy throughout the day on Tuesday’s election, Flora said voter turnout was lower than previous general elections. In 2015, her agency reported a voter turnout of 49.2%, in 2017 that number was 34.5% and in 2018 it was 57.8%, according to data provided by the Champaign County Board of Elections.
Flora said presidential elections are their busiest. In 2016, that election saw a voter turnout of roughly 72 %. She anticipates a larger turnout than Tuesday’s election for the upcoming presidential primary.
Wittenberg University State and Local Political Science Professor Robert Baker said in Clark County, low turnout rates in off-year elections are not uncommon.
“There are a number of things to think about. There weren’t many contested races in Clark County except for a few,” he said. “It was mostly people running opposed and that is probably the biggest reason for the low turnout.
Robert Baker also pointed to the fact that there wasn’t a state issue on the ballot. He said through his research, he’s found Clark County voters are more apt to participate in voting when an state-wide issue is on the ballot.
18.4%: Percent of voters that voted in Clark County
32.92%: Percent of voters that voted in Champaign County
4,336: the number of voters that voted in the Springfield mayor’s race
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