Overview
- City election officials reported more than 280,000 ballots cast or returned as of Monday, roughly 20% of registered voters and a marked increase from 2022 early-voting levels.
- Major early-voting sites, including the Lakeview supersite, saw sustained lines with some voters waiting up to four hours and election judges reporting crowding and capacity strain.
- Turnout varied sharply by place with DuPage County at about 21.4% and Chicago at roughly 13.4% for combined early and returned mail ballots, reflecting stronger suburban participation.
- Voters cited economic worry, the war in Iran, actions on immigration and dissatisfaction with President Trump as top motivations, and both parties mounted heavy get-out-the-vote and mail campaigns at early sites.
- Officials expect more ballots in the final days before Election Day, a dynamic that could affect close local and county races and requires extra staffing and processing capacity to manage lines and returned mail ballots.