Lemont Library's Early Voter Turnout Ranks Third in Suburban Cook County

With a referendum at stake, the held its standing as the third busiest for early voting among suburban Cook County sites with contested races.

Early Voting ended Thursday with robust turnout as 3,550 suburban Cook County voters cast ballots, Cook County Clerk David Orr said. More than 10,000 voters participated since Monday, or 38 percent of nearly 27,000 ballots cast since Early Voting began March 14.

“Judging by Early Voting turnout, it's clear there are some hot races in this election," Orr said. "The areas with the heaviest turnout were clearly those with a contested race, such as Chicago Heights, or those with a tax increase referendum, such as Wilmette and Lemont."

The unofficial Early Voting total for Lemont was 1,511.

The Lemont Library saw its highest early voter turnout Thursday, March 31, with 154 ballots cast.

Members of the Citizens for School District 113A organization did their part to encourage residents to vote early and in favor of the $20 million working cash bond referendum which will appear on next Tuesday’s ballot.

Volunteer Mary Pollard said she and fellow members sent out mailings and made phone calls to residents, encouraging them to cast their votes early.

“You never know what’s going to happen on election day — there could be rain, people could end up having to go out of town unexpectedly, or they could have a busy day and just forget,” she said. “We want to make sure people get out to the polls.”

Pollard said many people find they like the ease of Early Voting.

“Once they find out how convenient it is they prefer doing it that way rather than waiting in lines,” she said.

Cook County officials said Early Voting participation is up slightly over the last consolidated election in 2009, when 25,737 people voted early.

In 2009, Lemont only had 223 people participate in Early Voting, said Courtney Greve, spokesperson for the Cook County Clerk's office.

Being a site for Early Voting proved to be a boon for the Lemont library.

Sandi Pointon, library director, said officials see an increase in new library cards and renewals whenever they have early voting at the library.

“It brings people to the library who might otherwise not visit us,” she said.