Electoral authorities expect the same turnout as in 2018 | Election 2022

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) – Nearly 70% of voters in Macon, Sangamon and Vermilion counties who requested mail-in ballots have already submitted them.

But Macon County Clerk Josh Tanner doesn’t think overall voter turnout will be much higher.

“In 2018, four years ago in the same election, we still haven’t reached that number,” Tanner said. “In the past, it could build up to election day, but we don’t seem to be seeing that trend.”

In Macon County, about 3,600 ballots were cast and 4,680 people voted early. This represents 10% of all registered voters in the district.

Tanner says the races in this election aren’t driving people to vote.

“There are a lot of close races in this election, and voters don’t seem to like that,” Tanner said. “They don’t want to go out and vote for somebody if there’s no competition. So when there are a lot of no-alternatives on the ballot, turnout is lower.”

Sandy DeLay, executive director of the Danville Board of Elections, said more people are voting in alternative ways this year.

“I think we have 776 mail-in ballots in our office right now,” Delay said. “So voters are taking advantage of that, and we’re also seeing a great response to early voting.”

The biggest change DeLay has seen is the general opinion about voting. She said people questioned the reliability of the various voting methods proposed by the commission.

“One thing that I’ve personally seen in our office is the lack of confidence that voters seem to have about the whole process in general,” Delay said. “They don’t want to use machines because they don’t trust the technology.”

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